Lejogaster metallina (Fabricius, 1777):307

Lejogaster metallina (Fabricius, 1777).

Fabricius, J.C. (1777) Genera insectorum ... 16 + 310 pp. M. F. Bartschii, Chilonii [= Kiel].

Flowers visited by adults: Ranunculaceae; white umbellifers; Cochlearia, Convolvulus, Leontodon, Polygonum, Symphoricarpos, Valeriana (Speight 2010).

The flight period of L. metallina in Europe is from May to June (with stragglers in July; also July at higher altitudes) and from August to September (Speight 2010).

L. metallina ranges from northern Fennoscandia and the Faroes (Jensen 2001) south to Iberia; from Ireland eastwards through Eurasia to the Pacific coast; and North of Africa (Speight 2010).

Adults can be found in humid, seasonally flooded grassland, poorly-drained pasture, beside brooks; flies among low-growing vegetation (Speight 2010).

Preferred environment: freshwater/wetland; transition mire, fen, marsh, pool and lake edge; along brooks and permanently water-filled ditches in open situations and along brooks in Quercus ilex forest in southern Europe (Speight 2010).

Larva of L. metallina was described and figured by Maibach and Goeldlin (1994) and by Hartley (1961); aquatic, occurring among plant roots just at the level of the water surface, along the edge of slowly running water (Speight 2010).

Third instar larva (from Hertley 1961).

Length, 9 mm; breadth, 2.5 mm. As C. splendida but differing in tho wartiness of the cuticle and length of pubescence. Cuticle only slightly warty, warts small and elongate dorso-ventrally, poorly defined. Pubescence on dorsum nearly as long as the dorsal setae, numbers of spinules. in the transverse rows of the second and third abdominal segments of one specimen as follows: 4:4:7, 2:7:6.

Puparium (from Hertley 1961).

Length, 6 mm; breadth, 2.5 mm. Shape as C. solstitialis, brown with vague markings; spiracles 1.8 mm, long, pale brown, fine pattern of small narrow tubercles; facets along most of length.