Insects
True flies (Diptera)
Hover flies (Syrphidae)
Sighting 4386013

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Identification history

Syrphidae (family) 5 May 2025 DiBickers
Unverified 12 Jul 2021 TimL

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User's notes

Unsure if this is a beetle larva so have placed it under 'Beetles' for now. A second one on the same bush is shown in following sighting 4386014. There appears to be some destruction of the leaves where both insects have been.

3 comments

DiBickers wrote:
   5 May 2025
Just to throw in another option, the body shape kind of reminds me of the brown hoverfly larvae & green hoverfly larvae ( Syrphidae sp.) that I see eating aphids when my veges go to seed? I can see the head end as it tapers (& the bum end is pooping). Did you get to see how it moved ie did the head come to a narrowness like a maggot does as it crawls?
PS. This obs appears to show feeding on soft scale insects & Syphidae sp. are predators of aphids, scale, thrips & caterpillars.
Some examples for you in the link below:
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/49995-Syrphidae/browse_photos?term_id=1&term_value_id=6
TimL wrote:
   5 May 2025
@DiBickers Thanks for the comment, Di. The sighting was some time ago now but I'm certain that I didn't see any movement at the time. I've kept an eye out for more of these over the years but haven't seen any. I'll check the link. Thanks, Tim
DiBickers wrote:
   5 May 2025
@TimL no probs, happy to help😊

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Sighting information

Additional information

  • 12mm to 25mm Animal size

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