Scientific name

Eupeodes confrater (Wiedemann) (=Syrphus confrater Wiedemann, Metasyrphus confrater (Wiedemann))

Taxonomic position

Diptera: Syrphidae: Syrphini

Diagnosis

Metasternum hairy. Abdominal tergite 2 with yellow spots broadly fused. Last pair of femora with broad diagonal brownish annulus, or dark in anterior half.

Larva chalky white with grayish patches, tapering towards one end.

Images

   Adult male - Dorsal view
 Adult female - Dorsal view
   Ventral side of abdominal tip - Female and male
     Larva
 Pupal case after emergence

Distribution

Widely distributed throughout India. Sri Lanka. Pakistan. China. Afghanisthan.

Prey / Biology

Feeds on aphids on cotton, wheat, mustard, cabbages, pomegranate, and chrysanthemums (Brunetti, 1923; Ghorpade, 1981). Acyrthosiphon pisum, A. citricola, A. craccivora, A. fabae solanella, A. gossypii, A. rhoicola Hille Ris Lambers, Brachycaudus cardui (L.), Brevicoryne brassicae (L.), Capitophorus carduinus (Walker), Cinara sp., Dysaphis sp. cf. foeniculus (Theobald), Eriosoma lanigera (Hausmann), Lipaphis erysimi, Macrosiphoniella sanborni (Gillette), Mordvilkomemor sp., Myzus ?ornatus Laing, M. persicae (Sulzer), Toxoptera odinae.

References

  • Brunetti, E. 1923. The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma. Diptera: Pipunculidae, Syrphidae, Conopidae, Oestridae. Volume 3. Taylor and Francis, London. xii+424 p.
  • Ghorpade, K.D. 1981. Insect prey of Syrphidae (Diptera) from India and neighbouring countries: a review and bibliography. Tropical Pest Management 27(1): 62-82.
  • Ghorpade, K.D. 1994. Diagnostic keys to new and known genera and species of Indian subcontinent Syrphini (Diptera: Syrphidae). Colemania, 3: 1-15.
  • Vockeroth, J.R. 1969. A revision of the genera of the Syrphini (Diptera: Syrphidae). Memoirs of the Entomological Society of Canada, No. 62, 176 p.