Paragus (Paragus) bicolor (Fabricius, 1794)

Syrphus bicolor Fabricius, 1794: 297 . Type locality: Barbariae [= Nw. Africa].

Musca cruentatus Geoffroy, 1785: 462. Type locality: France (Paris).

Paragus arcuatus Meigen, 1822: 179 . Type locality: France (Provence).

Paragus taeniatus Meigen, 1822: 179 . Type locality: France (Southern France).

Paragus ater Meigen, 1822: 182 . Type locality: France (Carpentras).

Paragus testaceus Meigen, 1822: 180 . Type locality: Austria & France (Southern France).

Paragus ruficauda Zetterstedt, 1843: 852 . Type locality: Sweden (Scania: Esperöd).

Paragus tacchettii Rondani, 1865: 140 . Type locality: Italy (Brescia).

World distribution: AF: Namibia, South Africa. NE: Canada, USA. OR: India (Jammu & Kashmir), Pakistan. PA:

Afghanistan, Algeria, China, Egypt, Europe (from southern Sweden and Denmark south to the Mediterranean, from France eastwards through central and southern Europe), Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Mongolia, Morocco, Tunisia.

Egyptian localities: Eastern Desert: Wadi Um Elek [Shaumar & Kamal (1978)].

Activity period in Egypt: June.

Remarks: Adults fly low among ground vegetation and settle on either bare ground or low plants. The flowers visited include: Euphorbia, Herniaria glabra, Potentilla and Solidago (Speight 2017). Gomes (1981) reared this species from among aphids on Rumex in Portugal.