Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare /Melanostoma mellinum

The male of the Chequered Hoverfly, Melanostoma scalare, above has an elongated, chequered body, reddish eyes and mainly yellow antennae.

The thorax is golden and the legs are yellow, with pied hind legs. A delicate fly, there is nothing delicate about the hoverfly's tongue.

The female Chequered Hoverfly has a broader body with totally different patterning - yellow, triangular markings. She has the same leg colouring and mainly yellow antennae.

The related female Melanostoma mellinum hoverfly above left/centre has broader, less triangular yellow markings and dark antennae. The male mellinum, above right, has a similar body shape to the female (less elongated than scalare), with rounded, chequered markings and dark antennae.