Many-Tufted Sedgesitter

Many-Tufted Sedgesitter

Platycheirus scutatus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Birmingham

In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%

25 Verified sightings at Birmingham
August Best month

About the Many-Tufted Sedgesitter

Platycheirus scutatus is a very common species of hoverfly. It is a Holarctic species. External images For terms, see: Morphology of Diptera. Face has two large, silver-grey dust spots. Wing: Tibia 2 is in-bent 1/3 from apex and with only short lateral hairs. Tergite 4 is elongate.

See references for determination. Palearctic: Fennoscandia south to Iberia and the Mediterranean basin from Ireland eastward through Northern Europe, Central Europe and Southern Europe into Turkey and European Russia and through Siberia to the Pacific coast and Japan. Nearctic: Alaska south to Colorado. But see Speight (2011).

The larvae feed on aphids on low-growing plants and trees. Adults feed on a wide range of flowers. They have multiple broods throughout the warmer months and have a very long flight period. They may stay active during cold weather. Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability

More parks will be added in future updates.

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Birmingham 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~10%
2 London 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~10%
3 Manchester 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Many-Tufted Sedgesitter in Birmingham?

With luck

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Many-Tufted Sedgesitter sighting in Birmingham on a given day, based on 25 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 309th most-seen of the 811 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Many-Tufted Sedgesitter in Birmingham?

March–June and August–September

In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Many-Tufted Sedgesitter in Birmingham on a given day, against under 5% in July and October–February, the lowest months.

Is Birmingham the best place to see a Many-Tufted Sedgesitter?

Yes

Of the 3 cities where we can rate Many-Tufted Sedgesitter sightings, Birmingham has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come London (United Kingdom, about 10%) and Manchester (United Kingdom, under 5%).

Which relatives of the Many-Tufted Sedgesitter live in Birmingham?

Same genus: Platycheirus

The closest relatives of the Many-Tufted Sedgesitter that you can see in Birmingham (genus Platycheirus, Sedgesitters) are Grey-Spotted Sedgesitter (about 20%) and Platycheirus ciliger (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Many-Tufted Sedgesitter sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Many-Tufted Sedgesitter is recorded against all the insects logged in Birmingham (25 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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