Chequered Hoverfly - Melanostoma scalare

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Description

The males have longer, thinner bodies than females, with lozenge-shaped yellow spots compared to the triangular spots in females. Both sexes have largely yellow antennae.

Identification difficulty
Habitat

Lush herbage in well wooded areas and even gardens.

When to see it

April to November peaking at the end of May and in August.

UK Status

Common throughout Britain.

VC55 Status

Very common in Leicestershire and Rutland.

  • David Nicholls
    Bardon Hill
    05 May 2006
    female
  • David Nicholls
    Martinshaw Wood
    14 April 2012
    male
  • Kate Nightingale
    Cropston garden
    14 July 2014
    Male
  • Graham Calow
    Sapcote garden1
    20 April 2009
    male
  • Kate Nightingale
    Charnwood Lodge
    13 August 2014
    female
  • David Nicholls
    Gilroes Cemetery
    06 May 2012

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020

UK Map

Species data profile ?

Species profile

Species group:
Hoverflies
Kingdom:
Animalia
Order:
Diptera
Family:
Syrphidae
Records on NatureSpot:
297
First record:
10/09/2004 (Nicholls, David)
Last record:
09/10/2024 (Dejardin, Andrew)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

The latest images and records displayed below include those awaiting verification checks so we cannot guarantee that every identification is correct. Once accepted, the record displays a green tick.

In the Latest Records section, click on the header to sort A-Z, and again to sort Z-A. Use the header boxes to filter the list.

Latest images

Latest records

  • David Nicholls
    Nature Alive NR, Coalville
    10 September 2004
    female
  • David Nicholls
    Rutland Water, Egleton NR
    02 September 2005
    female
  • David Nicholls
    Watermead Country Park
    20 April 2007
    female
  • Graham Calow
    Sapcote
    21 May 2009
    female
  • David Nicholls
    Bardon Hill
    05 May 2006
    female
  • HAPeacock
    Leicester Garden
    07 April 2012
  • David Nicholls
    Ratby garden
    21 April 2012
  • HAPeacock
    Gilroes Cemetery Extension
    24 April 2012
  • HAPeacock
    Goss Spinney
    24 April 2012
  • Barbara Cooper
    Long Clawson
    14 May 2012
  • HAPeacock
    Leicester Garden
    11 May 2012
  • HAPeacock
    Leicester Garden
    11 May 2012
  • David Nicholls
    Ulverscroft
    18 May 2012
  • David Nicholls
    Ratby
    09 June 2012
  • Peter Smith
    Cropston garden
    21 July 2012
  • David Nicholls
    Narborough Bog
    02 May 2011
  • David Nicholls
    Ullesthorpe Stewardship Farm
    02 September 2011
  • HAPeacock
    Leicester Garden
    05 August 2011
  • HAPeacock
    Leicester Garden
    01 April 2012
  • HAPeacock
    Leicester Garden
    07 April 2012
  • Paul Ruddoch
    Melton Country Park
    27 May 2016
  • Paul Ruddoch
    Rhubarb Island
    03 May 2015
  • Paul Ruddoch
    Melton Country Park
    14 May 2015
  • Paul Ruddoch
    Melton Country Park
    09 October 2015