Thank you for your keen interest which has led to re-identification. Well done.

Another "mystery" resolved. That dip is one I have to train myself to look for every time.

I have other pics and see whether hair is visible on any of them, but I doubt it.

This would seem to be a reasonable approximation of the same pattern on the abdomen:

another picture shows the dark banding under the abdomen:



I cannot help but wonder- How useful might this feature be for distinguishing between E. perplexus/curtus/luniger? Are there noted differences anywhere (of which you may be aware) which contrast between the specific banding pattern on the sternites, or does it default to the trichosity pattern on the wings to distinguish them? I ask because in the draft guide of Syrphidae of the NE, under E. perplexus, it specifically mentions "Females with black band on sternites 4&5". Does that mean E curtus and E luniger females do not show this feature, or is it somehow different in them?

Perhaps I also need to pose this question to Professor Skevington or whoever has done the write-up for these three species in the draft guide. I recall your comment on my male Eupeodes (image below) in which you said: "This group of Eupeodes with lunules are not easy to identify from actual specimens, (apart from volucris), and lots of mistakes are made. From pictures almost impossible"