Merodon equestris (Fabricius, 1794)

Syrphus equestris Fabricius, 1794: 292 . Type locality: Italy.

Syrphus flavicans Fabricius, 1794: 292 . Type locality: Italy.

Eristalis narcissi Fabricius, 1805: 239 . Type locality: France.

Eristalis ferrugineus Fabricius, 1805: 240 . Type locality: Morocco (Essaouira).

Merodon nobilis Meigen, 1822: 353 . Type locality: Type locality: Europe.

Merodon transversalis Wiedemann in Meigen, 1822: 354 . Type locality: Germany.

Merodon validus Wiedemann in Meigen, 1822: 365 . Type locality: Germany.

Merodon bulborum Rondani, 1845b: 256 . Type locality: Italy.

Merodon tuberculatus Rondani, 1845: 256 . Type locality: Italy.

Merodon equestris var. nigrithorax Bezzi, 1900: 89 . Type locality: Italy.

World distribution: NE: from British Colombia (Canada) south to California (USA) [introduced]. PA: Egypt, Morocco, Europe (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Byelorussia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, UK, Ukraine, former Yugoslavia).

Egyptian localities: Eastern Desert: Wadi Hoff. Sinai: Ein Gedeirat. [Sources: Shaumar & Kamal 1978].

Activity period in Egypt: May to September.

Remarks: The original distribution of the Narcissus bulb fly has been greatly changed by its association with the worldwide bulb trade. M. equestris flies low, with a rapid zigzag flight, among ground vegetation, and frequently settles on bare ground. It usually visits flowers of the Umbelliferae, Ajuga, Aster, Cirsium, Crepis, Papaver, Ranunculus, Rubus idaeus and Senecio (De Buck 1990) .