Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods) ➔ Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods) ➔ Class Insecta (Insects) ➔ Order Diptera (True flies) ➔ Family Syrphidae (Hoverflies)

Episyrphus balteatus (De Geer, 1776)

Gemeine Winterschwebfliege Marmalade Fly

Synonyms and other combinations:

Episyrphus fallaciosus Matsumura, 1917 | Episyrphus hirayamae Matsumura, 1918 | Musca alternata Schrank, 1781 | Musca cannabina Scopoli, 1763 | Musca elegans Villers, 1789 | Musca nectarina Gmelin, 1790 | Musca palustris Scopoli, 1763 | Musca scitule Harris, 1780 | Musca scitulus Harris, 1780 | Syrphus andalusiacus Strobl, 1899 | Syrphus cretensis Becker, 1921 | Syrphus nectareus Fabricius, 1787 | Syrphus pleuralis Thomson, 1869 | Syrphus proximus Abreu, 1924 | Syrphus signatus Abreu, 1924 |

  • Episyrphus balteatus, female  502
    Episyrphus balteatus (De Geer, 1776)  Gemeine Winterschwebfliege  Marmalade Fly 
    Episyrphus balteatus, female
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2006-04-15 10:39:17
    Image number: 502
    female
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
    2006-04-15 10:39:17

  • Episyrphus balteatus, female  503
    Episyrphus balteatus (De Geer, 1776)  Gemeine Winterschwebfliege  Marmalade Fly 
    Episyrphus balteatus, female
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2005-08-14 10:31:00
    Image number: 503
    female
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
    2005-08-14 10:31:00

  • Episyrphus balteatus, male  504
    Episyrphus balteatus (De Geer, 1776)  Gemeine Winterschwebfliege  Marmalade Fly 
    Episyrphus balteatus, male
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2004-07-25 14:08:04
    Image number: 504
    male
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
    2004-07-25 14:08:04

  • Episyrphus balteatus, male  700
    Episyrphus balteatus (De Geer, 1776)  Gemeine Winterschwebfliege  Marmalade Fly 
    Episyrphus balteatus, male
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2009-07-12 11:28:01
    Image number: 700
    male
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
    2009-07-12 11:28:01

  • Episyrphus balteatus, female  5848
    Episyrphus balteatus (De Geer, 1776)  Gemeine Winterschwebfliege  Marmalade Fly 
    Episyrphus balteatus, female
    ES, Fuerteventura, Costa Calma; 2012-10-21 10:14:28
    Image number: 5848
    female
    ES, Fuerteventura, Costa Calma
    2012-10-21 10:14:28

  • Episyrphus balteatus, larva  7193
    Episyrphus balteatus (De Geer, 1776)  Gemeine Winterschwebfliege  Marmalade Fly 
    Episyrphus balteatus, larva
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2015-09-13 13:49:35
    Image number: 7193
    larva
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
    2015-09-13 13:49:35

  • Episyrphus balteatus, larva  7194
    Episyrphus balteatus (De Geer, 1776)  Gemeine Winterschwebfliege  Marmalade Fly 
    Episyrphus balteatus, larva
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2015-09-13 13:50:06
    Image number: 7194
    larva
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
    2015-09-13 13:50:06

  • Episyrphus balteatus, larva  7195
    Episyrphus balteatus (De Geer, 1776)  Gemeine Winterschwebfliege  Marmalade Fly 
    Episyrphus balteatus, larva
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2015-09-13 13:50:35
    Image number: 7195
    larva
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
    2015-09-13 13:50:35

  • Episyrphus balteatus, larva  7199
    Episyrphus balteatus (De Geer, 1776)  Gemeine Winterschwebfliege  Marmalade Fly 
    Episyrphus balteatus, larva
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2015-09-13 13:50:13
    Image number: 7199
    larva
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
    2015-09-13 13:50:13

  • Episyrphus balteatus, bottom view  7196
    Episyrphus balteatus (De Geer, 1776)  Gemeine Winterschwebfliege  Marmalade Fly 
    Episyrphus balteatus, bottom view
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2015-09-13 13:59:32
    Image number: 7196
    bottom view
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
    2015-09-13 13:59:32

  • Episyrphus balteatus, pupa  7197
    Episyrphus balteatus (De Geer, 1776)  Gemeine Winterschwebfliege  Marmalade Fly 
    Episyrphus balteatus, pupa
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2015-09-16 10:07:31
    Image number: 7197
    pupa
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
    2015-09-16 10:07:31

  • Episyrphus balteatus, pupa  7198
    Episyrphus balteatus (De Geer, 1776)  Gemeine Winterschwebfliege  Marmalade Fly 
    Episyrphus balteatus, pupa
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2015-09-17 15:20:57
    Image number: 7198
    pupa
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
    2015-09-17 15:20:57

  • Episyrphus balteatus, hatched  7200
    Episyrphus balteatus (De Geer, 1776)  Gemeine Winterschwebfliege  Marmalade Fly 
    Episyrphus balteatus, hatched
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2015-09-22 11:56:08
    Image number: 7200
    hatched
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
    2015-09-22 11:56:08

  • Episyrphus balteatus, female  7201
    Episyrphus balteatus (De Geer, 1776)  Gemeine Winterschwebfliege  Marmalade Fly 
    Episyrphus balteatus, female
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2015-09-22 11:48:04
    Image number: 7201
    female
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
    2015-09-22 11:48:04

  • Episyrphus balteatus, female  7202
    Episyrphus balteatus (De Geer, 1776)  Gemeine Winterschwebfliege  Marmalade Fly 
    Episyrphus balteatus, female
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2015-09-22 11:48:53
    Image number: 7202
    female
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
    2015-09-22 11:48:53


Classification:
Episyrphus balteatus belongs to the subfamily Syrphinae, tribe Syrphini.
Distribution:
Europe, North Africa, Asia, North America, common in Central Europe.
Habitat:
In many different biotopes.
Description:
Episyrphus balteatus has a body length of 9 - 12 mm and is well distinguishable from other hoverfly species by its characteristic abdomen.
Biology:
The main fly season of Marmalade Fly is in summer and late summer. The imagines are found on the flowers of many different plant species. They feed on nectar, the females also on pollen. The mated females overwinter. In favorable weather conditions, Episyrphus balteatus can be observed from February to November. A female can lay between 2000 and 4,500 eggs during its adult life. The larvae feed mainly on aphids.
Episyrphus balteatus shows strong migratory behavior and is able to populate areas where overwintering is risky or impossible.
Annotation:
The hoverfly larva shown here, I have found on a nettle leaf. It has pupated short time later. From the puparium a female of Episyrphus balteatus hatched.

References, further reading, links:
  1. Pape T. & Thompson F.C. (eds) (2017). Systema Dipterorum (version 2.0, Jan 2011). In: Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life, 2017 Annual Checklist (Roskov Y., Abucay L., Orrell T., Nicolson D., Bailly N., Kirk P.M., Bourgoin T., DeWalt R.E., Decock W., De Wever A., Nieukerken E. van, Zarucchi J., Penev L., eds.). Digital resource at www.catalogueoflife.org/annual-checklist/2017. Species 2000: Naturalis, Leiden, the Netherlands. ISSN 2405-884X.
  2. Gerald Bothe: Bestimmungsschlüssel für die Schwebfliegen (Diptera, Syrphidae) Deutschlands und der Niederlande, DJN, 1984, ISBN 3-923376-07-3
  3. U. Schmid: Die Schwebfliege Episyrphus balteatus (De Geer, 1776) (Dipt., Syrphidae) - Insekt des Jahres 2004, Entomologische Nachrichten und Berichte, 48,2004/1
  4. M.C.D.Speight: Species Accounts of European Syrphidae (Diptera), Glasgow 2011, Syrph the Net, the database of European Syrphidae, vol. 65, 285 pp., Syrph the Net publications, Dublin.
  5. Menno Reemer, Willem Renema, Wouter van Steenis, Theo Zeegers, Aat Barendregt, John T. Smit, Mark P. van Veen, Jeroen van Steenis, Laurens van der Leij: De Nederlandse Zweefvliegen (Diptera: Syrphidae), Nederlandse Fauna 8, 2009.