The larvae of C. floccosa are associated with rotting deciduous wood. Adults are usually found in woodland with overmature trees and are seen visiting flowers to feed.[4]
Description
External images
For terms see Morphology of Diptera
A large, broad, bumblebee mimic (wing length 10–13 mm.), densely yellow, fox red or yellow and black pilose. Tergite 2 with distinct side tufts of long yellow hairs. Tergites 3 and 4 with short, dense reddish or tawny pile and dust, not obscuring the ground-colour. Tibia 1 and 2 with pale, adpressed, short hairs.
[5][6][7][8] The larva is illustrated by Rotheray (1993) [9]
Distribution
Palaearctic. South Sweden and Denmark South to the Pyrenees from Ireland eastwards to European Russia as far as the Caucasus[10][11]
Biology
Habitat: Fagus and Quercus ancient woodland with over-mature and senescent trees.[12]
Arboreal, but descends to visit flowers of white umbellifers, Cornus sanguinea, Crataegus, Photinia, Prunus spinosa, Ribes alpina, Rubus idaeus, Sorbus aucuparia, Sorbus aria.[13] The flight period is from the beginning of April to the beginning of July.
^Ball, S.G.; Morris, R.K.A. (2000). Provisional atlas of British hoverflies (Diptera, Syrphidae). Monks Wood, UK: Biological Records Centre. pp. 167 pages. ISBN1-870393-54-6.
^Van Veen, M. (2004) Hoverflies of Northwest Europe: identification keys to the Syrphidae. 256pp. KNNV Publishing, Utrecht.addendum
^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.
^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. ISBN81-205-0080-6.
^Coe, R.L. (1953) Diptera: Syrphidae. Handbks.ident.Br.insects, 10(1): 1-98. R.ent.Soc.London. pdfArchived 2018-10-04 at the Wayback Machine
^Rotheray G., 1993 Colour Guide to Hoverfly Larvae Diptera, Syrphidae in Britain and Europe Dipterists Forum pdfArchived 2019-04-03 at the Wayback Machine
^de Buck, N. (1990) Bloembezoek en bestuivingsecologie van Zweefvliegen (Diptera, Syrphidae) in het bijzonder voor België. Doc.Trav. IRSNB, no.60, 1–167.