Pipiza austriaca

Pipiza austriaca is a species of hoverfly, from the family Syrphidae, in the order Diptera.

Description
External images For terms see Morphology of Diptera Wing length 6–8 mm. Hind femora strongly thickened, with a large ventral ridge. Wing with darkened cloud. Thorax and abdomen pale-haired. The larva is described and figured by Goeldlin (1974)  See references for determination.

Distribution
Palearctic Atlantic Europe. All Europe if older determinations are correct.

Biology
Habitat:Quercus woodland clearings thickets of Rubus fruticosus along hedges, field-margins with a tall herb layer Atlantic scrub (Corylus) along hedges, field-margins with tall herb vegetation. Flowers visited include umbellifers, Euphorbia, Ranunculus. Flies mid-June to end August. Pipiza larvae are predators of gall forming aphids.