{{Short description|Species of fly}} {{Speciesbox | image = Syrphidae - Cheilosia variabilis (male).JPG | image_caption = Male of ''Cheilosia variabilis''. Dorsal view | image2 = Cheilosia variabilis, Parc de Woluwé, Brussels (33649618580).jpg | image2_caption = Side view. Face showing projecting hairs on the sides | genus = Cheilosia | species = variabilis | authority = (Panzer, 1798) | synonyms = {{collapsible list|bullets = true |''Cheilosia funebres'' <small>(Harris, 1780)</small> |''Cheilosia nigrina'' <small>(Meigen, 1822)</small> |''Musca funebres'' <small>Harris, 1780</small> |''Syrphus nigrina'' <small>Meigen, 1822</small> |''Syrphus variabilis'' <small>Panzer, 1798</small>}} }}

'''''Cheilosia variabilis''''', common name '''figwort cheilosia''', is a species of hoverfly belonging to the family Syrphidae.<ref>[http://www.catalogueoflife.org/annual-checklist/2011/search/all/key/cheilosia+variabilis/match/1 Catalogue of life]</ref>

==Distribution== This species is native to the Palearctic realm, present in most of Europe eastwards to western Siberia, in the Near East, and in North Africa.<ref>[https://fauna-eu.org/cdm_dataportal/taxon/7d451a98-b2dd-4f10-9801-c257b39cd1eb Fauna europaea]</ref><ref>Peck, L.V. (1988) Syrphidae. In: Soos, A. & Papp, L. (eds.) ''Catalogue of Palaearctic Diptera'', 8: 11-230. Akad.Kiado, Budapest.</ref>

==Habitat== These hoverflies inhabit deciduous forest, from the ''Fagus'', ''Picea'' zone to alluvial hardwood forest, tracksides and edges of clearings.<ref name="Speight">{{cite journal | last = Speight | first = M.C.D. | year = 2011 | title = Species accounts of European Syrphidae (Diptera)| journal = Syrph the Net, the Database of European Syrphidae | volume = 65 | pages = 285pp | url= https://www.diptera.info/downloads/StN_Species_Accounts_Glasgow_2011.pdf }}</ref>

==Description== thumb|200px|left|Habitat.Ireland. For terms see Morphology of Diptera<br/> ''Cheilosia variabilis'' can reach a body length of {{convert|10|-|25|mm}} and a wing length of 9–12&nbsp;mm. Like most ''Cheilosia'' this large species is blackish in color, causing it to sometimes be overlooked as a hoverfly. The face has outstanding hairs on the sides and a conspicuous central knob. Antennae are black or dark brown and hairs of arista are longer than the diameter of basal part. The thorax is black-haired, the abdomen is rather elongate and the tergites are pale yellow-haired. The wings are greyish and disproportionately long. Legs are entirely black. In males, the halteres are pale brown.<ref>Van Veen, M. (2004) ''Hoverflies of Northwest Europe: identification keys to the Syrphidae.'' 256pp. KNNV Publishing, Utrecht.[https://home.hccnet.nl/mp.van.veen/syrphidae/boekhoverflies.html addendum]</ref> <ref>Van der Goot, V.S. (1981) ''De zweefvliegen van Noordwest - Europa en Europees Rusland, in het bijzonder van de Benelux''. KNNV, Uitgave no.32: 275pp. Amsterdam.</ref> <ref>Bei-Bienko, G.Y. & Steyskal, G.C. (1988) ''Keys to the Insects of the European Part of the USSR'', Volume V: Diptera and Siphonaptera, Part I. Amerind Publishing Co., New Delhi. {{ISBN|81-205-0080-6}}.</ref><ref>Coe, R.L. (1953) Diptera: Syrphidae. ''Handbks.ident.Br.insects,'' 10(1): 1-98. R.ent.Soc.London. [http://www.royensoc.co.uk/sites/default/files/Vol10_Part01.pdf pdf] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181004053056/https://www.royensoc.co.uk/sites/default/files/Vol10_Part01.pdf |date=2018-10-04 }}</ref> The larva is figured by Dusek (1962).<ref>Dusek, J. (1962) Beitrag zur kenntnis von larven der Gattung ''Cheilosia'' Mg. (Diptera, Syrphidae). ''Acta Soc.Ent.Cechoslov.'' 59(1): 68-72.</ref>

This species is rather similar to ''Cheilosia lasiopa'', ''Cheilosia vulpina'' and ''Cheilosia griseiventris''.

thumb|240px|right|thumbtime=0:40|on ''Scrophularia nodosa''

==Biology== Adult hoverflies can be found from April to September in two generations per year, as this species is bivoltine. They visit flowers of white umbellifers, ''Aegopodium podagraria'', ''Alliaria petiolata'', ''Anthriscus sylvestris'', Apiaceae, ''Aurinia saxatilis'', ''Conium maculatum'', ''Crataegus laevigata'', ''Euphorbia cyparissias'', ''Meum athamanticum'', ''Potentilla reptans'', ''Ranunculus repens'', ''Salix'' spec., ''Sambucus nigra'', ''Caltha'', ''Cirsium'', ''Galium'', ''Scrophularia'', ''Sorbus aucuparia''.<ref>de Buck, N. (1990) Bloembezoek en bestuivingsecologie van Zweefvliegen (Diptera, Syrphidae) in het bijzonder voor België. ''Doc.Trav.'' IRSNB, no.60, 1-167.</ref>

The larvae are miners in the rhizomes of the common figwort (''Scrophularia nodosa'') (hence the common name) and in the stalks of the water figwort (''Scrophularia auriculata'').<ref>{{cite journal|author=BARKEMEYER, W |year=1994|title=Untersuchung zum Vorkommen der Schwebfliegen in Niedersachsen und Bremen (Diptera: Syrphidae)|journal=Naturschutz Landschattspfl. Niedersachs.|volume=31|pages=1–514|location=Hannover |isbn=3-922321-70-4}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author1=Stubbs, Alan E. |author2=Falk, Steven J.|year=1983 |title=British Hoverflies: An Illustrated Identification Guide|pages=253, xvpp |publisher=British Entomological & Natural History Society}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[https://www.boldsystems.org/index.php/Taxbrowser_Taxonpage?taxid=79620 Boldy Systems] * [https://www.flickr.com/photos/63075200@N07/sets/72157629384445290/ Flickr Photos] * Stuart Ball, Roger Morris [https://books.google.com/books?id=EFmdBgAAQBAJ&dq=Cheilosia+variabilis+length&pg=PA164 Britain's Hoverflies: A Field Guide - Revised and Updated Second Edition]

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Category:Flies of Europe Category:Cheilosia Category:Insects described in 1798 Category:Articles containing video clips

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