Tuesday 21 May
In the News: First crane egg in the western UK in four centuries
Wasp hoverfly (Doros profuges)
What’s the World’s Favourite Species?
Find out here.Wasp hoverfly fact file
- Description
- Biology
- Range
- Habitat
- Status
- Threats
- Conservation
- Find out more
- Glossary
- References
- Print factsheet
Wasp hoverfly description
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Arthropoda |
| Class | Insecta |
| Order | Diptera |
| Family | Syrphidae |
| Genus | Doros (1) |
This spectacular large, slender hoverfly is a wasp mimic; its body shape and black and yellow markings make it very similar in appearance to a wasp (4). The 'model' for this mimicry is thought to be the solitary wasp Argogorytes mystaceaus. The hoverfly receives protection as a result of this mimicry, as potential predators believe that it is either able to sting or is extremely distasteful (5).
- Synonyms
- Doros conopseus.
- Size
- Length: 14 - 17 mm (2)
- Calcareous
- Containing free calcium carbonate, chalky.
- Larvae
- Stage in an animal's lifecycle after it hatches from the egg. Larvae are typically very different in appearance to adults; they are able to feed and move around but usually are unable to reproduce.
- National Biodiversity Network Species Dictionary (August 2002) http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nbn/
- Jon Webb (2002) Pers Comm.
- Shirt, D. B. (Ed) (1987) British Red Data Books: 2. Insects. Nature Conservancy Council.
- Levy, E.T. & Levy, D.A. (1998) Somerset Hoverflies. Diptera Recording Scheme.
- Plant, C. W. (1999) The wasp hoverfly Doros profuges (Harris). Report of the 1999 survey. English Nature Research Report number 352. English Nature, Peterborough.
- UKBAP (August 2002): http://www.ukbap.org.uk
- view the contents of, and Material on, the website;
- download and retain copies of the Material on their personal systems in digital form in low resolution for their own personal use;
- teachers, lecturers and students may incorporate the Material in their educational material (including, but not limited to, their lesson plans, presentations, worksheets and projects) in hard copy and digital format for use within a registered educational establishment, provided that the integrity of the Material is maintained and that copyright ownership and authorship is appropriately acknowledged by the End User.
More »
Top
Related species
Wasp hoverfly biology
Little is known of the biology of this species; the life history is largely a mystery but it seems likely that it is complex and specialised (6). Adults fly in June, males are rarely seen, and females fly only in sunny conditions (5). Evidence suggests that the larvae are predatory, and it has been speculated that they may be associated with the ant species Lasius fulginosus, feeding on aphids that the ants have herded (5).
TopWasp hoverfly range
Since 1990 only a few sites in Great Britain have been found to support this species (5). Most of these are in the south and southeast of England (5). It has also been found in Scotland on Arran and the Isle of Mull (6). The range of this hoverfly extends from southern Norway and Finland down to central Spain, and from Ireland extending east through much of central and southern Europe, through Eurasia, reaching the Pacific coast, encompassing Japan and China (5).
More »
Top
Species with a similar range
Wasp hoverfly habitat
The wasp hoverfly seems to prefer woodland edge or scrubby habitats; in England all of the occupied sites feature flower-rich calcareous grassland, where there are ant mounds, and bramble (Rubus species) present. Most sites are on south-facing slopes or in sheltered valleys, suggesting that the hoverfly is 'thermophilous', literally 'heat-loving' (5).
More »
Top
Species found in a similar habitat
Wasp hoverfly status
Classified as Vulnerable in Great Britain (3).
TopWasp hoverfly threats
Although the factors responsible for the decline of this species are not known (6), it is thought that habitat loss and alteration through human activity may be important (5).
TopWasp hoverfly conservation
The wasp hoverfly is a UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UK BAP) priority species, and a Species Action Plan has been produced to aid its conservation. This plan aims to maintain the current populations, and to increase the size of these populations before 2010 (6). Many of the current populations occur within Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) (6), and English Nature has funded research and survey work on this species (5).
TopAuthentication
Information authenticated by Jon Webb, English Nature:
http://www.english-nature.gov.uk/
Glossary
References
More »Related species
Sign up to our newsletter
Get the latest wild news direct to your inbox.
Get involved
ARKive relies on its media donors to donate photos and videos. Can you help? There are plenty of other ways you can get involved too!
X
Close
Close
Image credit
Doros profuges
© David Element
David Element
david.element@ukgateway.net
http://www.david.element.ukgateway.net
X
Close
Close
Link to this photo
Embed this ARKive thumbnail link by copying and pasting the code below.
Terms of Use - The displayed thumbnail may be used as a link from your website to ARKive's online content for private, scientific, conservation or educational purposes only. It may NOT be used within Apps.
Read more about
X
Close
Close
MyARKive
MyARKive offers the scrapbook feature to signed-up members, allowing you to organize your favourite ARKive images and videos and share them with friends.
X
Close
Close
Terms and Conditions of Use of Materials
Copyright in this website and materials contained on this website (Material) belongs to Wildscreen or its licensors.
Visitors to this website (End Users) are entitled to:
End Users shall not copy or otherwise extract, alter or manipulate Material other than as permitted in these Terms and Conditions of Use of Materials.
Additional use of flagged material
Green flagged material 
Certain Material on this website (Licence 4 Material) displays a green flag next to the Material and is available for not-for-profit conservation or educational use. This material may be used by End Users, who are individuals or organisations that are in our opinion not-for-profit, for their not-for-profit conservation or not-for-profit educational purposes. Low resolution, watermarked images may be copied from this website by such End Users for such purposes. If you require high resolution or non-watermarked versions of the Material, please contact Wildscreen with details of your proposed use.
Creative commons material
Certain Material on this website has been licensed to Wildscreen under a Creative Commons Licence. These images are clearly marked with the Creative Commons buttons and may be used by End Users only in the way allowed by the specific Creative Commons Licence under which they have been submitted. Please see http://creativecommons.org for details.
Any other use
Please contact the copyright owners directly (copyright and contact details are shown for each media item) to negotiate terms and conditions for any use of Material other than those expressly permitted above. Please note that many of the contributors to ARKive are commercial operators and may request a fee for such use.
Save as permitted above, no person or organisation is permitted to incorporate any copyright material from this website into any other work or publication in any format (this includes but is not limited to: websites, Apps, CDs, DVDs, intranets, extranets, signage, digital communications or on printed materials for external or other distribution). Use of the Material for promotional, administrative or for-profit purposes is not permitted.