Epistrophe nitidicollis
(Meigen, 1822)
Straight-banded Smoothtail
Epistrophe nitidicollis is a with a broad Holarctic distribution spanning Europe, North America, and northern Asia. are -sized with distinctive facial markings and a black-and-yellow banded . The species is strongly associated with deciduous woodland where on . Adults visit diverse flowering plants including umbellifers and early spring bloomers.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Epistrophe nitidicollis: //ɛˈpɪstroʊfi nɪˌtɪdɪˈkoʊlɪs//
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Identification
Distinguished from the similar Epistrophe melanostoma by being slightly narrower in build and having a black on tergite 5 (absent in E. melanostoma). The black-haired also separates it from E. melanostoma. Male figured by Hippa (1968) provide definitive identification.
Images
Appearance
-sized with length 8–11.25 mm. wide, clear , lightly dusted at margin. blackish and shiny. Tergites black and yellow. Legs yellow except dark . black-haired. Tergite 5 with black . Slightly narrower than similar E. melanostoma.
Habitat
Deciduous forest, scrub, and maquis vegetation. , descending to visit flowers. Associated with woodland edge and semi-open within forested landscapes.
Distribution
Holarctic: Palearctic and Nearctic regions. Europe from Fennoscandia south to Iberia, Ireland east through North, Central and South Europe into Russia and Siberia to the Pacific coast (Kamchatka, Sakhalin Island). North America from Alaska south to California and South Carolina. Recorded from northern Iran.
Seasonality
period May to June; earlier in southern Europe, later at higher altitudes and northerly latitudes. Collected in Iran from March to August.
Diet
feed on . visit flowers for nectar and pollen, including umbellifers, Caltha, Cistus, Euphorbia, Prunus, Ranunculus, Rubus, and Taraxacum.
Host Associations
- Aphids - Larval food source
- Umbelliferae - flower visitor umbellifers specifically mentioned
- Caltha - flower visitor
- Cistus - flower visitor
- Euphorbia - flower visitor
- Prunus - flower visitor
- Ranunculus - flower visitor
- Rubus - flower visitor
- Taraxacum - flower visitor
Life Cycle
with , larval, pupal, and stages. described and figured by Dusek and Laska (1959). Larval stage predatory on . likely occurs in soil or leaf litter, though specific details not documented.
Behavior
that descends to visit flowers. active during spring months, with period varying geographically.
Ecological Role
function as , contributing to in woodland . serve as of early spring flowering plants.
Human Relevance
Potential agent through larval . contribute to of wild and cultivated plants. Subject of entomological research and faunistic surveys.
Similar Taxa
- Epistrophe melanostomaVery similar in appearance; E. nitidicollis is slightly narrower and has black on tergite 5 and black-haired , which E. melanostoma lacks
More Details
Taxonomic history
Originally described as Syrphus nitidicollis by Meigen in 1822; later transferred to Epistrophe. Male documented by Hippa (1968), larval morphology by Dusek and Laska (1959).
Collection methods
Collected using in Iran study; likely captured by hand netting or pan trapping at flowers in other regions.