Helophilus pendulus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Biology & ecology:

The larva is of the ?long-tailed? aquatic type and can be found in almost any enriched, wet or semi-liquid medium ranging from waterlogged, rotting vegetation at the edge of ponds and ditches to water-filled tree hollows, water-butts, wet compost heaps, slurry pits and even in cow-dung. Adults appear to be very mobile and can be found just about anywhere, frequently well away from water, and visiting a wide range of flowers from ground vegetation to tree-flowers. They are frequent visitors to garden flowers.

Distribution:

One of the commonest and most widespread British hoverflies. Speight (2010) describes it as anthropogenic and as a 'species which has become ubiquitous in some regions of Europe because of its ability to use a wide range of standing water and sub-aqueous habitats'.

Status & conservation:

The long term trend is upwards, but there are large variations in frequency of occurrence from year to year. Some of the upward trend may reflect increased recording by photographers.