Xanthogramma pedissequum

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Cladus: Protostomia
Cladus: Ecdysozoa
Cladus: Panarthropoda
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Classis: Insecta
Cladus: Dicondylia
Subclassis: Pterygota
Cladus: Metapterygota
Infraclassis: Neoptera
Cladus: Eumetabola
Cladus: Endopterygota
Superordo: Panorpida
Cladus: Antliophora
Ordo: Diptera
Subordo: Brachycera
Infraordo: Muscomorpha
Sectio: Aschiza
Superfamilia: Syrphoidea

Familia: Syrphidae
Subfamilia: Syrphinae
Tribus: Syrphini
Genus: Xanthogramma
Species: Xanthogramma pedissequum
Name

Xanthogramma pedissequum (Harris, 1776)

Selected links

iSpot

Xanthogramma pedissequum is a species of hoverfly.[2]

Etymology

The Latin scientific name pedissequum means that follows on foot, like an attendant.
Distribution and habitat

This uncommon species is present in most of Europe, in Western Siberia, in the Near East and in North Africa.[3] It prefers grassland, open fields close to deciduous forest.[4][5]
Description
In flight

Xanthogramma pedissequum can reach a length of 10–13 millimetres (0.39–0.51 in) and a wing length of 7.25–9.75 mm.[6][4] These hoverflies have a black body, with two yellow lateral stripes on the thorax, and yellow markings on tergites two to five. The pairs of tergites 2 are wedge-shaped and considerably wide.[4][5]

Biology

Flight period last from mid May through September, with a peak at the end of June.[5] The adults feed on different flowers, for example, Ballota nigra, Potentilla erecta and Heracleum sphondylium.[6] Little is known of its larval stages. Larvae have been found underground in nests of the black garden ant (Lasius niger) and yellow meadow ant (Lasius flavus), probably to feed on ant-attended root aphids Forda formicaria and Trama species that they collect.[5][6][7][8]
References

Catalogue of life
Biolib
Fauba europea
Stuart Ball, Roger Morris Britain's Hoverflies: A Field Guide, Revised and Updated Second Edition
Nature Spot
J.K. Lindsey Commanster
Stubbs, Alan E. & Falk, Steven J. (1983). British Hoverflies: An Illustrated Identification Guide. British Entomological & Natural History Society. pp. 253, xvpp.
Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park - Diptera Survey Report 2007