Short-haired Leafwalker
Chalcosyrphus piger
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chalcosyrphus_piger
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
The Short-haired Leafwalker faces severe population decline primarily due to deforestation and habitat fragmentation across its limited range in temperate and boreal forests. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering the composition of host trees and disrupting the delicate ecological relationships this specialized hoverfly depends upon for breeding and larval development. Agricultural expansion and urban development continue to reduce available habitat patches, while pesticide use in adjacent areas may impact both adult flies and their prey species.
Habitat
The Short-haired Leafwalker inhabits mature deciduous and mixed forests, particularly favoring areas with abundant dead wood and leaf litter where larvae can develop. Adults are typically found in forest clearings and edges where they feed on flower nectar and hunt for small insects among the vegetation.
Other threatened species in Syrphidae
Threatened in Åland Islands
Frequently asked questions
Why is Short-haired Leafwalker classified as Endangered?
Where does Short-haired Leafwalker live?
What are the main threats to Short-haired Leafwalker?
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