"Britain's Hoverflies" is a beautifully illustrated photographic field guide to all the genera of hoverflies found in Britain, focusing on the species most likely to be identified. Accessible and designed to appeal to a wide audience, the book contains more than 500 remarkable photographs exploring the various life stages of all 69 hoverfly genera and the 164 most commonly seen species. Easy-to-use species accounts highlight key identification features, including status, behavior, and habitat requirements. The book also contains distribution maps, phenology charts, and introductory chapters that examine hoverfly biology. This guide is the perfect companion for wildlife enthusiasts, professional ecologists, and anyone with an interest in this unique insect family. I includes more than 500 remarkable photographs depict all 69 hoverfly genera and the 164 most commonly seen species in Britain that can be identified by eye or with a magnifying glass . It offers introductory chapters that explore hoverfly biology. Species accounts highlight key features of each genus and species, including status, behavior, and habitat. Maps and phenology charts examine hoverfly distribution. It is a complete list of the 281 hoverfly species recorded in Britain to date with degrees of identification difficulty.

Table of Contents:
Foreword 7 Introduction 8 Is it a hoverfly? 10 Hoverfly biology The life-cycle of a hoverfly 12 Adults 13 Eggs 15 Larvae 16 Recording Cheilosia albipila and C grossa by searching for larvae in thistles 21 Pupae 26 Migration 26 Mimicry 28 Finding hoverflies The seasonal calendar 30 Where to look for hoverflies 36 The search for Callicera rufa 41 Glossary 42 Identifying hoverflies 45 Naming the parts 46 Guide to the tribes 51 Simplified guide to British hoverfly tribes 59 Identifying wasp and bee mimics 60 THE SPECIES ACCOUNTS 63 Species list 268 Collecting hoverflies 277 Legislation and conservation 282 Recording hoverflies 283 Gardening for hoverflies 284 Further reading and useful addresses 286 Acknowledgements 288 Photographic credits 289 Index of scientific names 293 Bacchini Guide to Bacchini 64 Baccha 66 Melanostoma 68 Platycheirus 70 Xanthandrus 82 Paragini Guide to Paragini 84 Paragus 84 Syrphini Guide to Syrphini 86 Chrysotoxum 90 Xanthogramma 96 Doros 98 Sphaerophoria 100 Eriozona 104 Leucozona 104 Dasysyrphus 108 Didea 112 Scaeva 114 Eupeodes 116 Melangyna 120 Meligramma 126 Meliscaeva 128 Episyrphus 130 Epistrophe 132 Megasyrphus 136 Parasyrphus 138 Syrphus 142 ERISTALINAE Callicerini Guide to Callicerini 146 Callicera 146 Cheilosiini Guide to Cheilosiini 150 Cheilosia 152 Ferdinandea 168 Portevinia 168 Rhingia 170 Chrysogastrini Guide to Chrysogastrini 172 Neoascia 174 Sphegina 176 Melanogaster 178 Chrysogaster 180 Orthonevra 182 Riponnensia 182 Lejogaster 184 Brachyopa 186 Hammerschmidtia 188 Myolepta 189 Eristalini Guide to Eristalini (and Merodontini: Merodon) 190 Eristalis 192 Eristalinus 200 Mallota 202 Myathropa 202 Anasimyia 204 Helophilus 206 Lejops 208 Parhelophilus 210 Merodontini Guide to Merodontini 212 Eumerus 212 Merodon 214 Psilota 216 Pelecocerini Guide to Pelecocerini 218 Chamaesyrphus 218 Pelecocera 219 Pipizini Guide to Pipizini 220 Pipiza 222 Heringia 226 Pipizella 228 Trichopsomyia 230 Triglyphus 230 Sericomyiini Guide to Sericomyiini 232 Arctophila 232 Sericomyia 234 Volucellini Guide to Volucellini 236 Volucella 236 Xylotini Guide to Xylotini 242 Blera 244 Brachypalpoides 246 Caliprobola 246 Brachypalpus 248 Chalcosyrphus 250 Criorhina 252 Pocota 256 Syritta 258 Tropidia 258 Xylota 260 MICRODONTINAE Microdon 264