Common Banded and similar Hoverflies Syrphus ribesii /Syrphus vitripennis /Epistrophe diaphana /Eupeodes latifasciatus

Syrphus ribesii hoverfly
Syrphus ribesii hoverfly
Hoverflies on this page could be the Common Banded, Syrphus ribesii, or the similar Lesser Banded, S. vitripennis, Epistrophe diaphana or even Eupeodes latifasciatus, since they and many other Syrphus/Epistrophe species look alike. (The male of Eupeodes corollae also looks similar, but the yellow bars are moustache-shaped. The female has lunules rather than bars.)
Syrphus ribesii hoverfly
Syrphus ribesii hoverfly
Eupeodes latifasciatus hoverfly
The first two above (and top) are suspected to be Syrphus ribesii. The above right may be Eupeodes latifasciatus. All the wasp mimics on this page were photographed in southern England.
Epistrophe diaphana hoverfly
Epistrophe diaphana hoverfly
Syrphus species hoverfly
The first two above are suspected to be Epistrophe diaphana. The above right may be a Syrphus species.
Syrphus ribesii hoverfly
Syrphus ribesii hoverfly
Syrphus species hoverfly
The prime suspect is Syrphus ribesii, but look-alikes are candidates. Epistrophe grossulariae (yellow bands don't narrow at sides) or E. nitidicollis look similar but are not suspected here.
Syrphus ribesii hoverfly
Syrphus ribesii hoverfly
Syrphus type hoverfly
More Syrphus ribesii types. The Lesser Banded looks like the Common but has yellow legs with a black hind thigh whereas the Common has yellow legs with a mainly yellow hind thigh. The one above right has dark hair above antennae.
Syrphus type hoverfly Clear stripes on thorax.
Syrphus ribesii hoverfly
hoverfly This is NOT ribesii but may be a Syrphus species. It has straight bands, with a small cut in the first full band, rather than "moustache-shaped" bands and has straight front marks instead of lunules.