Platycheirus varipes (the silver sedgesitter, commonly flower fly) is a rare species of syrphid fly observed in Northern Europe: Norway, Sweden, Finland; Greenland; central Asiatic Russia; and in North America from Alaska and Canada south to Colorado, via mountain chains.[1][2]

Platycheirus varipes
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Family: Syrphidae
Subfamily: Syrphinae
Tribe: Bacchini
Genus: Platycheirus
Subgenus: Platycheirus
Species:
P. varipes
Binomial name
Platycheirus varipes
Curran 1923

Hoverflies can remain nearly motionless in flight. Adult Platycheirus varipes are also known as flower flies for they are commonly found on flowers from which they get both energy-giving nectar and protein rich pollen. Larvae are aphid predators.[3][4]

References

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  1. ^ Speight, M.C.D (2011). Species accounts of European Syrphidae (Diptera), Glasgow2011 (PDF). Dublin: Syrph the Net publications.
  2. ^ Young, Andrew D (2012). A revision of the Nearctic species of Platycheirus Lepeletier and Serville (Diptera: Syrphidae) (master of SCIENCE). University of Guelph. Retrieved 2012-05-09.
  3. ^ Rotheray, G.E. (1993). "Colour Guide to Hoverfly Larvae (Diptera, Syrphidae) in Britain and Europe" (PDF). Diperists Digest. 9: 155.
  4. ^ Skevington, Jeffrey H (2019). Field Guide to the Flower Flies of Northeastern North America. ISBN 9780691189406.