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

Sericomyia silentis (Harris, 1776)

Große Torfschwebfliege Common Bog Hoverfly

Synonyms and other combinations:

Cinxia ciscaucasica Stackelberg, 1927 | Musca subtomentosa Gmelin, 1790 | Syrphus borealis Fallen, 1816 | Syrphus tricinctus Preyssler, 1793 |

  • Sericomyia silentis, female 9671
    Sericomyia silentis (Harris, 1776)  Große Torfschwebfliege  Common Bog Hoverfly 
    Sericomyia silentis, female
    DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf; 2020-09-04 13:19:43
    Image number: 9671
    female
    DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf
    2020-09-04 13:19:43
  • Sericomyia silentis, female 9672
    Sericomyia silentis (Harris, 1776)  Große Torfschwebfliege  Common Bog Hoverfly 
    Sericomyia silentis, female
    DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf; 2020-09-04 13:19:59
    Image number: 9672
    female
    DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf
    2020-09-04 13:19:59
  • Sericomyia silentis, female 4188
    Sericomyia silentis (Harris, 1776)  Große Torfschwebfliege  Common Bog Hoverfly 
    Sericomyia silentis, female
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2010-07-31 08:57:47
    Image number: 4188
    female
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
    2010-07-31 08:57:47
  • Sericomyia silentis, female 529
    Sericomyia silentis (Harris, 1776)  Große Torfschwebfliege  Common Bog Hoverfly 
    Sericomyia silentis, female
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2009-06-13 09:35:59
    Image number: 529
    female
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
    2009-06-13 09:35:59
  • Sericomyia silentis, female 530
    Sericomyia silentis (Harris, 1776)  Große Torfschwebfliege  Common Bog Hoverfly 
    Sericomyia silentis, female
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2009-06-13 09:36:20
    Image number: 530
    female
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
    2009-06-13 09:36:20
  • Sericomyia silentis, female 8530
    Sericomyia silentis (Harris, 1776)  Große Torfschwebfliege  Common Bog Hoverfly 
    Sericomyia silentis, female
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2018-09-17 10:42:35
    Image number: 8530
    female
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
    2018-09-17 10:42:35
  • Sericomyia silentis, female 10282
    Sericomyia silentis (Harris, 1776)  Große Torfschwebfliege  Common Bog Hoverfly 
    Sericomyia silentis, female
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2021-09-05 13:35:00
    Image number: 10282
    female
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
    2021-09-05 13:35:00
  • Sericomyia silentis, male 558
    Sericomyia silentis (Harris, 1776)  Große Torfschwebfliege  Common Bog Hoverfly 
    Sericomyia silentis, male
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2007-08-18 13:53:52
    Image number: 558
    male
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
    2007-08-18 13:53:52
  • Sericomyia silentis, male 559
    Sericomyia silentis (Harris, 1776)  Große Torfschwebfliege  Common Bog Hoverfly 
    Sericomyia silentis, male
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2007-08-18 13:53:03
    Image number: 559
    male
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
    2007-08-18 13:53:03
  • Sericomyia silentis, male 593
    Sericomyia silentis (Harris, 1776)  Große Torfschwebfliege  Common Bog Hoverfly 
    Sericomyia silentis, male
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2007-04-21 11:37:59
    Image number: 593
    male
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
    2007-04-21 11:37:59
  • Sericomyia silentis, male 873
    Sericomyia silentis (Harris, 1776)  Große Torfschwebfliege  Common Bog Hoverfly 
    Sericomyia silentis, male
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2009-07-31 13:44:16
    Image number: 873
    male
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
    2009-07-31 13:44:16
  • Sericomyia silentis, male 5035
    Sericomyia silentis (Harris, 1776)  Große Torfschwebfliege  Common Bog Hoverfly 
    Sericomyia silentis, male
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2011-08-24 10:16:54
    Image number: 5035
    male
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
    2011-08-24 10:16:54

Classification:
Sericomyia silentis belongs to the subfamily Eristalinae, tribe Sericomyiini.
Distribution:
From Fennoscandia south through mountainous regions to the Pyrenees; from Ireland eastwards through northern Europe and mountainous parts of central Europe (this species is very local in the Alps) into Russia (and the Caucasus) and on to the Pacific coast and Japan.
Habitat:
wetland/forest: wet moorland, along streams in humid coniferous and deciduous forest, preferably in open areas.
Description:
Body length 13 - 18 mm; abdomen wide, oval, black with yellow cross stripes; cross stripes wide, the rear ones reach the side seam; abdomen tip yellow; scutellum dark; face with a median, longitudinal black stripe; arista plumose.
Biology:
The Common Bog Hoverfly Sericomyia silentis flies in two generations from May to October. Adults fly deep between the vegetation or rest on leaves with half-spread wings. They produce a loud humming while flying. Adults of Sericomyia silentis visit a wide spectrum of flowering plants, including yellow composites, white umbellifers, Calluna, Filipendula, Ligustrum, Polygonum cuspidatum, Ranunculus, Rubus fruticosus agg., Sorbus aucuparia... .
The rat-tailed larvae of Sericomyia silentis have been found in various aquatic habitats, e.g. in old, moist bark and wood fragments, sawdust, humus rich mud and in a drainage ditch of a peat bog.

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. 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.
  4. 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.