Sphaerophoria scripta, a hover fly
Click on a thumbnail to see the large picture (around 800 X 600 pixels).
Copyright of all pictures: Hania and Hans Arentsen. Do not use without written consent.
In order to get consent mail Hans (info@gardensafari.net) or Hania (photog@gardensafari.net).
The female of Sphaerophoria scripta has the body of the typical hover fly: long, broadened somewhere near the middle and ending conically. The markings, yello stripes on a black backgroud, are typical of hover flies. It is very difficult to tell apart females of the various species in this genus, for they all do look like oneanother very much. Even microscopic research doesn't always provide you woth the correct answer. In this case though, we are certain the female is a S. scripta 
The female of this species looks like any other hoverfly.
The male looks very different: it has a long, slim, stick like body, ending suddenly without tipped end. We do think that the animal in these pictures is the male of S. scripta, in spite of the very intens yellow markings. The males of this species have a body that protrudes from under the wings, for it is longer. The males are very variable in markings.
The male has a stick like body, rather uncommon in hoverflies.
This page was made Aril 6th 2002. Last update: December 26th, 2005.