{{Short description|Species of fly}} {{Speciesbox | image = Blera.fallax2.-.lindsey.jpg | image_caption = ''female'' | genus = Blera | species = fallax |status=LC |status_system=IUCN3.1 |status_ref=<ref name = iucn>{{cite IUCN|last1=Pennards|first1=G.W.A.|last2=Popov|first2=G.|last3=Speight|first3=M.|article-number=e.T149170057A149170061|doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-2.RLTS.T149170057A149170061.en|title=''Blera fallax'' (Europe assessment)|year=2021|access-date=7 April 2023}}</ref> | authority = (Linnaeus, 1758) | display_parents = 3 | synonyms = *''Musca fallax'' <small>Linnaeus, 1758</small> *''Blera nipponica'' <small>Shiraki, 1968</small><ref name="Shiraki1968">{{cite book |last1=Shiraki |first1=T. |title=Syrphidae (Insecta: Diptera)|series=Fauna Japonica |date=1968 |publisher=Biogeographical Society of Japan |location=Japan |pages=Vol. II, 243 pp., XL pls.; Vol. III, 272 pp., XLVII pls.}}</ref> *''Musca ruficaudis'' <small>De Geer, 1776</small><ref name=DeGeer1776>{{cite book|last1=De Geer|first1=Charles|author-link=Charles De Geer|title=Mémoires pour servir à l'histoire des insectes, vol. 4|date=1774|publisher=Grefing & Hesselberg|location=Stockholm|pages=52–53|url=http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k97153c/f65.image.r=.langEN|access-date=18 November 2014}}</ref> *''Syrphus seminiger'' <small>Panzer, 1804</small><ref name="Panzer1804">{{cite book |last1=Panzer |first1=Georg Wolfgang Franz |title=D. Jacobi Christiani Schaefferi Iconum Insectorum circa Ratisbonam indigenorum Enumeratio Systematica |date=1804 |publisher=Palmii |location=Erlangae [=Erlangen]. |pages=xvi + 260 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/181857#page/13/mode/1up |access-date=25 July 2021}}</ref> *''Syrphus semirufus'' <small>Fabricius, 1794</small><ref name="Fabricius1794">{{cite book |last1=Fabricius |first1=Johan Christian |title=Entomologia systematica emendata et aucta. Tome IV |date=1794 |publisher=C.G. Proft |location=Hafniae [=Copenhagen] |pages=[6] + 472 + [5] pp |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/218712#page/5/mode/1up |access-date=20 May 2021}}</ref> }}
'''''Blera fallax''''', the '''pine hoverfly''' or '''roodkapje''', is a rare species of hoverfly normally associated with mature pine trees in Northern and Central Europe.<ref name="Stubbs">{{cite book |last1=Stubbs |first1=Alan E. |last2=Falk |first2=Steven J.|title=British Hoverflies: An Illustrated Identification Guide |edition=2nd |year=1983 |publisher=British Entomological and Natural History Society |location=London |isbn=1-899935-03-7 |pages=1–253, i–xv}}</ref>
==Distribution and habitat== ''Blera fallax'' is found in northern and central Eurasia from central Scandinavia east to Siberia and Japan, with a relict population in Scotland. At lower latitudes they are typically found in mountain forests where there are more pine and spruce, even up to subalpine dwarf mountain pine (''Pinus mugo'') forests. They prefer pine forests, particularly Scots pine (''Pinus sylvestris'') but also other pine species and spruce (''Picea'' where there is high humidity and rotting dead timber.<ref name = iucn/>
==Biology== ''Blera fallax'' larva, which are of the rat-tailed maggot type, normally develop in damp rot holes of felled or fallen pine trees, notably the Scots pine, though it will occur with other conifers. Preference is for large stumps where there has been some heartwood softening by the fungus ''Phaeolus schweinitzii''. Adult flies have been seen feeding on wild raspberry flowers, but little else is known about adult behaviour.<ref name="MacGowan08">{{cite journal | last = MacGowan | first = Iain | year = 2008 | title = ''Blera fallax'' | journal = Bulletin of the Dipterists Forum | issue = 66 | pages = 14–15 | publisher = The Dipterists Forum | location = UK | issn = 1358-5029 | type = print }}</ref> Other authors have recorded the adults feeding on a wide ariety of flowers. The adult pine hoverflies have been observed sunning on the cut ends of conifer stumps and on the ground next to cut or fallen trees, The males fly fast and low through the forest clearing, through or close to the vegetation, especially close to clumps of plants, such a raspberries, that are in flower.<ref name = iucn/>
==Conservation== ''Blera fallax'' has an isolated relict subpopulation in the pine forests of northern Scotland. In 2008, attempts had been made on RSPB sites to create artificial rot holes in felled pine stumps. These attempts led to a slight increase in numbers of adults in some areas, though numbers were still very low and prompted some concern.<ref name="MacGowan08"/> In 2016, the species was only found at two sites in Strathspey, Scotland.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://theferret.scot/scottish-wildlife-without-legal-protection/ |title=Rare Scottish wildlife left without legal protection |website=The Ferret |language=en-UK |date=1 May 2016 |access-date=12 August 2025 |last=Edwards |first=Rob}}</ref> The Scottish subpopulation of ''Blera fallax'' was deemed to be critically endangered and "as rare as the Scottish wildcat and even less common than the giant panda".<ref name=heraldscot>{{Cite web |url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/19312239.breeding-centre-preserve-risk-pine-hoverfly/ |title=Breeding centre to preserve at risk pine hoverfly |website=The Herald Scotland |language=en-UK |date=19 May 2021 |access-date=12 August 2025 |last=Salmond |first=Catherine}}</ref>
In 2016, the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland began to breed ''Blera fallax'' larvae as part of a conservation breeding programme at Highland Wildlife Park.<ref name=bbc2021>{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-56746434 |title=Hopes for record breeding season of rare hoverfly |date=15 April 2021 |access-date=12 August 2025 |language=en-UK |website=BBC}}</ref><ref name=independentzoo/> In April 2019, the programme announced their first captive adult flies, which were raised as larvae in jam jars and pupated in hummus pots.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-48348966 |title=Highland Wildlife Park captive breeding rare hoverflies |language=en-UK |website=BBC |date=21 May 2019 |access-date=12 August 2025}}</ref> In 2020, the programme reported a then-record breeding season of 156 hatched larvae.<ref name=heraldscot/>
After the 2021 breeding season, in which 130 larvae had successfully pupated,<ref name=bbc2021/> the Highland Wildlife Park conducted staggered releases of larvae in October 2021 and March 2022 across three sites at RSPB Abernethy Forest and Glenmore Forest Park.<ref name=independentzoo>{{Cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/cairngorms-britain-rspb-habitat-national-geographic-society-b2098126.html |title=Endangered adult pine hoverfly spotted in wild for first time in years |website=The Independent |language=en-UK |last=Cameron |first=Lucinda |date=10 June 2022 |access-date=12 August 2025}}</ref> In October 2022, the ''Rare Invertebrates in the Cairngorms'' (RIC) project conducted surveys in the previously-unoccupied pine stumps around Cairngorms National Park and concluded the pine hoverflies had completed a full breeding cycle and successfully bred a new generation of larvae in the wild.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.strathspey-herald.co.uk/news/another-milestone-for-cairngorms-precious-pine-hoverfly-290819/ |title=Cairngorms breakthrough for critically-endangered insect |website=The Strathspey and Badenoch Herald |language=en-UK |date=18 October 2022 |access-date=12 August 2025 |last=Ramage |first=Tom}}</ref>
As of June 2025, the Highland Wildlife Park announced they had and will continue to conduct yearly releases of "thousands of pine hoverflies" in the aforementioned protected sites over the summer to strengthen the reintroduced ''Blera fallax'' and enable habitat expansion.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.highlandwildlifepark.org.uk/news/new-pine-hoverfly-conservation-strategy-leads-way-protecting-one-britains-most-endangered |title=New pine hoverfly conservation strategy leads the way in protecting one of Britain's most endangered insects |website=Highland Wildlife Park |language=en-UK |date=25 June 2025 |access-date=12 August 2025}}</ref>
===In popular culture=== In March 2021, Marvelous Europe, a video game publisher, donated £20,000 to the RIC project.<ref name=heraldscot/> Later that same month, they partnered with Scummy Mummies co-host Ellie Gibson to raise awareness for the ''Blera fallax'' conservation programme by hosting a Twitch livestream of ''Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town'' where participants would have the chance to name the hatched pine hoverfly larvae.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/highlands-islands/2995240/pine-hoverfly/ |title=Gaming company helping to save rare species in its only UK habitat |last=Ross |first=John |language=en-UK |website=The Press and Journal |date=24 March 2021 |access-date=12 August 2025}}</ref> On 26 March 2021, the company held a "seed grower contest", where entrants were provided with a seed pack and asked to post weekly updates, and the winner who had grown the tallest seed would be given the honor of naming the new hoverfly incubation room at Highland Wildlife Park.<ref>{{Cite web |title='Larva Croft' and the Pine Hoverfly Set to Make a Strong Comeback in UK After Successful Conservation Collaboration Between Story of Seasons Publisher and Royal Zoological Society Scotland |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/press-release/2021-04-14/larva-croft-and-the-pine-hoverfly-set-to-make-a-strong-comeback-in-uk-after-successful-conservation-/.171717 |date=14 April 2021 |access-date=12 August 2025 |website=Anime News Network |language=en-US |last=Sevakis |first=Justin}}</ref>
In August 2025, Marvelous Europe and North America jointly announced plans to release Pine Hoverfly-themed outfit DLC pack for their upcoming title, ''Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar'', the net proceeds of which would go to the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland's RIC project.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://worthplaying.com/article/2025/8/12/news/147184-story-of-seasons-grand-bazaar-partners-with-the-royal-zoological-society-of-scotland-for-charitable-dlc-screens-trailer/ |title='Story Of Seasons: Grand Bazaar' Partners With The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland For Charitable DLC - Screens & Trailer |website=WorthPlaying |last=Van Autrijve |first=Rainier |date=12 August 2025 |access-date=12 August 2025 |language=en-UK}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category-inline|Blera fallax|''Blera fallax''}} {{Taxonbar|from=Q2748021}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Blera Fallax}} Category:Milesiini Category:Flies of Europe Category:Insects described in 1758 Category:Animal taxa named by Carl Linnaeus