The genus Ischiodon Sack, 1913 (Diptera: Syrphidae) are small to medium-sized wasp mimic hoverflies with only four species worldwide: Ischiodon aegyptius (Wiedemann, 1830), I. astales Mengual, 2018, I. feae (Bezzi, 1912), and I. scutellaris (Fabricius, 1805). In Europe, I. aegyptius and I. scutellaris occur, but only in the southern part of the continent. In this article, we present the northernmost record of I. aegyptius, which is also the first finding of this species in the Balkan Peninsula. One larva was found in 2010 in Budva, Montenegro (a city on the Adriatic coast), on lemon tree twigs in association with the aphid Aphis spiraecola Patch, 1914. The month of collection was May, before summer, when the adults probably migrate from Africa, suggesting that the species may be a resident in this part of Europe, at least temporarily. A brief description,photographs of the specimen, and short taxonomic notes are provided. The additional new records of I. aegyptius from Libya were presented. Notes are given on its potential reproduction in Europe and on its possible importance in the biological control of aphids.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Vujić et al. (2024) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: