Eupeodes corollae

(Life; Kingdom:  Metazoa (animals); Phylum: Arthropoda; Class: Hexapoda; Order: Diptera; Suborder: Brachycera; Family: Syrphidae; Subfamily: Syrphinae; Genus: Eupeodes)

Eupeodes corollae on daisy in mesic mountain fynbos. [photo Hamish Robertson]	Eupeodes corollae mating [photo N. Larsen).

A widespread species that has been introduced to South Africa where it is common.

Females of Eupeodes corollae lay up to 1000 eggs. One single E. corollae larvae can suck out more than 800 aphids. In Eurasia more than 60 different species of aphids and related insects are known as prey of the E. corollae larvae. The larva grows for about 10 days (depending on the temperature) and then pupate . After another 8-9 days the adult hatches. In Central Europe there are several (up to 4-6) generations of E. corollae per year. It it obvious that species like E. corollae can affect the number of aphids in a biotope.