Melangyna umbellatarum

Distinguished from the similar Melangyna ericarum by: pale thoracic disc hairs (vs. many black hairs); jowls with only pale hairs below eyes (vs. some black hairs); tergite 2 yellow side-spots extending to or over side-margins (vs. widely set back); distinct orange leg markings (vs. obscure); and reduced posterior black bristles on anterior femora.

Streams and rivers fringed by Salix (willow), including Salix carr and riparian willow stands.

Palearctic: Fennoscandia south to Iberia, Ireland east through North, Central, and South Europe to European Russia and Siberia (east to Kamchatka). Nearctic: Alaska to Arizona (though some records may refer to M. fisherii).

Flight period May to September.

Larvae predate aphids. Adults visit flowers including white umbellifers, Foeniculum, Euphorbia, Filipendula ulmaria, and Sorbus.

• Salix - habitatstreams with Salix, Salix carr, riparian fringes
• Aphids - preylarval food source

Larval stage predatory on aphids. Adults active May–September.

Adults visit flowers for nectar and pollen. Larvae are aphid predators.

Adults contribute to pollination through flower visitation. Larvae function as biological control agents of aphid populations.

Potential biocontrol agent through larval aphid predation. Adults are pollinators of agricultural and wild plants.

• Melangyna ericarumSimilar overall appearance; distinguished by thoracic hair color, jowl hair color, tergite spot position, leg marking clarity, and femoral bristle pattern
• Melangyna fisheriiNearctic records of M. umbellatarum may be referable to this species; requires careful verification

• hoverfly
• aphid predator
• riparian
• willow-associated
• Holarctic
• pollinator

• BugGuide
• Wikipedia
• GBIF taxonomy match
• iNaturalist taxon
• NCBI Taxonomy