Philhelius pedissequus
{{Short description|Species of fly}}
{{italictitle}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Hoverfly September 2007-9.jpg
| image_caption = male
| image2 = Syrphidae - Xanthogramma pedissequum (female).JPG
| image2_caption = female
| taxon = Philhelius pedissequus
| authority = (Harris, 1776)
|synonyms_ref=[http://www.catalogueoflife.org/annual-checklist/2011/details/species/id/8660443 Catalogue of life]
|synonyms={{collapsible list|bullets = true
|Doros decoratus Zetterstedt, 1843
|Musca pedissequum Harris, 1776
|Scaeva flavicincta Gravenhorst, 1807
|Syrphus dives Rondani, 1857
|Syrphus ornatum Meigen, 1822
|Syrphus pulcher Meigen, 1835
|Xanthogramma bilobatum Szilády, 1940
|Xanthogramma flavifrons Szilády, 1940
|Xanthogramma flavipleura Coe, 1957
|Xanthogramma nigripes Szilády, 1940
|Xanthogramma nobilitatum Frey, 1946
|Xanthogramma ornatum (Meigen, 1822)}}
}}
Philhelius pedissequus is a species of hoverfly.[https://www.biolib.cz/en/taxon/id123587/ Biolib] Prior to 2018, it was known under the genus name Xanthogramma, a junior synonym.Evenhuis NL. Nomenclatural studies toward a World List of Diptera genus-group names. Part VI: Daniel William Coquillett. Zootaxa. 2018 Feb 18;4381(1):1-95. doi: 10.11646/zootaxa.4381.1.1. PMID: 29689947
Etymology
The Latin species name pedissequus means that follows on foot, like an attendant.
Distribution and habitat
Description
File: Hoverfly (Xanthogramma pedissequum).jpg
Philhelius pedissequus can reach a length of {{convert|10|-|13|mm}} and a wing length of 7.25–9.75 mm.J.K. Lindsey [http://www.commanster.eu/commanster/Insects/Flies/SpFlies/Xanthogramma.pedissequum.html Commanster]Stuart Ball, Roger Morris [https://books.google.com/books?id=EFmdBgAAQBAJ&dq=Xanthogramma+pedissequum+length&pg=PA104 Britain's Hoverflies: A Field Guide, Revised and Updated Second Edition] These hoverflies have a black body, with two yellow lateral stripes on the thorax, and yellow markings on tergites two to five. The pairs of tergites 2 are wedge-shaped and considerably wide.[https://www.naturespot.org.uk/species/xanthogramma-pedissequum Nature Spot]
Biology
Flight period last from mid May through September, with a peak at the end of June. The adults feed on different flowers, for example, Ballota nigra, Potentilla erecta and Heracleum sphondylium. Little is known of its larval stages. Larvae have been found underground in nests of the black garden ant (Lasius niger) and yellow meadow ant (Lasius flavus), probably to feed on ant-attended root aphids Forda formicaria and Trama species that they collect.{{cite book|author1=Stubbs, Alan E. |author2=Falk, Steven J. |name-list-style=amp |year=1983 |title=British Hoverflies: An Illustrated Identification Guide|pages=253, xvpp |publisher=British Entomological & Natural History Society}}[https://web.archive.org/web/20110516074822/http://www.towerhamletscemetery.org/Diptera_Report_2007.pdf Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park - Diptera Survey Report 2007]
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q2747973}}
Category:Insects described in 1776
Category:Articles containing video clips
Category:Taxa named by Moses Harris
{{Syrphidae-stub}}