Platycheirus ambiguus

Description

Males have the front legs entirely unmodified except for a curled bristle behind the tip of the front femora. In females tergites 3 & 4 have complete silvery bands across the basal half.

Identification difficulty
Recording advice

Detailed photos required.

Habitat

Strongly associated with Blackthorn. The larvae are aphidophagous on the foliage of Blackthorn and other Prunus species.

When to see it

Spring-summer. 

UK Status

Widespread.

VC55 Status

Not often recorded.

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020

UK Map

Species profile

Species group:
insect - true fly (Diptera)
Kingdom:
Animalia
Order:
Diptera
Family:
Syrphidae
Records on NatureSpot:
1
First record:
10/04/2026 (Cann, Alan)
Last record:
10/04/2026 (Cann, Alan)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

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