Cheilosia pagana

Common Name: N/A

Cheilosia pagana is one of the smallest Cheilosia species. It is coloured mostly black, and as such may well be overlooked as a hoverfly. The female has a very large, orange coloured, third antennal segment and the males often have strong reflective grey triangles on the sides of the abdomen. They have bare arista and the female has an entirely black scutellum.

Habitat is coniferous and deciduous woodland, unimproved grassland, along hedgerows, in farmland and at roadsides. In flight March to October, peaking May/June and August. Larvae have been found in the roots of Cow Parsley but may also use other umbellifers. It is a common species throughout Britain, though less so in the north.

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