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Photo#219327
Syrphid Fly - Eupeodes latifasciatus - female

Syrphid Fly - Eupeodes latifasciatus - Female
Dam No. 4 Woods East Forest Preserve, Cook County, Illinois, USA
August 16, 2008

Moved

Eupeodes latifasciatus is an
Eupeodes latifasciatus is an unbelievably variable species and can have large markings on tergite 2 almost reaching anterior margin and complete bands on tergite 3 and 4.
The FRONS with the upper half shining black, often with purple reflections, and lower half bright yellow is characteristic. Note yellow tergite 5...

See also Eupeodes latifasciatus Steven Falk


https://www.flickr.com/photos/63075200@N07/sets/72157629787790503/?ytcheck=1&new_session=1

Vockeroth describes the male
Vockeroth describes the male xanthostoma as having fore coxae yellow and mid coxae brown and although there is no description of the female legs, female Syrphini have the legs paler and black more restricted than in males so the female is not going to have black fore coxae. The fore and mid femora look to be narrowly darkened at base, which would suggest that the coxae were black and the hind femora looks entirely yellow which can be found in Eupeodes latfasciatus females according to Vockeroth which further suggests this is not xanthostoma.
Epistrophe nitidicollis has all femora yellow. This should at least be moved to Syrphini as there are so many features contradicting the identification as xanthostoma. See comments below.

The black is more extensive i
The black is more extensive on the frons in Epistrophe nitidicollis, sometimes almost reaching antennae and this black area has thin but obvious dust stripes along eye margins. The lower frons is orange in nitidicollis but bright yellow here.

I have never seen Epistrophe
I have never seen Epistrophe xanthostoma and the only female image I have seen is in "The Insects and Arachnids of Canada... Part 18" by Vockeroth.
His female image has the markings deeply emarginated on tergite 3 and 4 and in his description, he uses this feature to separate the males of xanthostoma from male nitidicollis. Tergite 5 is black with yellow posterior margin. There is no mention of markings on tergite 2 meeting at middle.
The female frons is described as mostly yellow gray pruinose.
None of the above features fit the specimen above and I am thinking this may be Eupeodes latifasciatus.

Any more pictures?
Any more pictures?

Moved tentatively
Moved from Epistrophe.

I believe this is Epistrophe
I believe this is Epistrophe xanthostoma - if I'm seeing things right, yellowish (not black) antennae rule out E. grossulariae. From there, yellow (not black or mixed) fringe on fore and mid femora rule out terminalis. Yellow bands on tergites 3 and 4 reaching abdominal margins rules out metcalfi. Scutellar hairs appear mostly yellow, markings on tergite 2 seem to reach the abdominal margin over much of that tergite, and frons looks frosty rather than shiny, so this looks like xanthostoma instead of nitidicollis.

(of course, I could be wrong!)

Moved
Moved from Syrphini.

Female Epistrophe sp.
Would be my idea about this one!
Greetings

Moved
Moved from Syrphid Flies.

Tribe Syrphini, unless you get lucky.
I have a hunch Gerard could take the ID farther.
Very nice shot.

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