Brede High Woods
A couple of (long overdue) vists to these great woods this week provided some excellent hoverfly highlights. Yesterday a nice find was a male Brachypalpus laphriformis perched on a bramble leaf, the angle of the picture below is odd but it shows the swollen and arched hind femur rather well as the fly cleans itself. This species is scarce and regarded as a rarity and elusive, it’s range is mainly confined to well wooded areas of southern Britain the larvae are associated with rot holes in large broad-leaved trees . Additional highlights included Criorhina floccasa, C. berberina, Chalcosyrphus nemorum, Sericomiya silentis and the superb Brachypalpoides lentus. Also of interest Bombus hypnorum was present in good numbers.
Male Brachypalpus laphriformis, a hive bee mimic.