Taxonomy
Parasyrphus vittiger
Distribution
Species Biology
Preferred environment
Conifer forest (Abies, Picea, humid Pinus), but also, occasionally, in deciduous forest (humid Fagus). The few Irish records of this species are from predominantly Quercus woodland situations and do not accord with what is known of P. vittiger in continental Europe. There, this syrphid is characteristic of conifer forests, though it does not seem to reach the altitudes of Larix forest. In Britain it is associated particularly with Pinus sylvestris woodland, and so reflects the continental situation. It is especially frequent in the indigenous Caledonian pine forest of Scotland. If precise information were available on the aphid species used as larval food by P.vittiger, the reasons for its scarcity in Ireland might become clearer. But, for now, P. vittiger joins the ranks of the group of conifer associated syrphids which are unaccountably scarce in Ireland, despite the existence of an apparent abundance of potential habitat provided by commercial conifer plantations.
Adult habitat & habits
Largely arboreal, but descends to visit flowers.
Flight period
April/September, with peaks in May/June and July/August at lower altitudes. At higher altitudes/more northerly latitudes the flight period is more restricted and there is one peak in July/August. Larva: described and figured by Goeldlin (1974) and illustrated in colour by Rotheray (1994); aphid feeding; Kula (1982) records larvae of this species as found hibernating in leaf litter in spruce (Picea) forest. Larvae have been found on Abies, Fagus, Picea and Pinus.
Flowers visited
Alchemilla, Alisma plantago-aquatica, Buxus, Galium, Hypochoeris, Potentilla erecta, Ranunculus, Salix, Sorbus aucuparia, Taraxacum.
Irish reference specimens
In the collections of NMI and UM
Determination
See Key provided in StN Keys volume. The adults of P. lineola and P. vittiger are so similar to each other that it has been suggested these two are variants of the same species, but Goeldlin's (1974) work on the larvae demonstrates their larvae are distinct. The male terminalia are figured by Dusek and Laska (1967) and Hippa (1968b). The species is illustrated in colour by Torp (1994).
Distribution
World distribution(GBIF)
From Fennoscandia south to the Pyrenees and central Spain; from Ireland eastwards through most of Europe into European parts of Russia and the Caucasus; from the Urals to central Siberia (Cis-Baikal, Yakutia). In continental Europe it is also widely distributed and not infrequent from southern Scandinavia south to the Alps (inclusive) and in the Pyrenees. It is probably a candidate to be considered for inclusion on listings of insects requiring protection in Ireland.
Irish distribution
Added to the Irish list by Nash (1975). P. vittiger is yet another conifer-associated syrphid that is very restricted in its Irish distribution, being in this case largely confined to a limited part of eastern Ireland. In this it contrasts with its situation in Britain, where it is widely distributed and frequent.
Temporal change
Records submitted to Data Centre in 2024
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References
Publications
Speight, M. C. D. (2008) Database of Irish Syrphidae
(Diptera). Irish Wildlife Manuals, No. 36. National Parks and Wildlife Service.
Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Dublin, Ireland.
Speight, M.C.D. (2014) Species accounts of European
Syrphidae (Diptera), 2014. Syrph the Net, the database of European Syrphidae,
vol. 78, 321 pp., Syrph the Net publications, Dublin.