Bio-diversity of Episyrphus balteaus De Geer in northern India

At large geographical scales, dense populations of various taxa are often associated with biodiverse regions. This trend has been observed in plants, invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. However, it remains unclear whether aphids exhibit a similar pattern. Aphids are notably species-poor in tropical regions due to their evolutionary origins in temperate zones of the boreal hemisphere. In this study, three species of Homoptera were documented, with predators observed feeding on them in nursery plants located in the Bareilly region of Rohilkhand, Uttar Pradesh. The syrphid species Episyrphus balteatus De Geer and Metasyrphus confrater were recorded, both belonging to the family Syrphidae of the order Diptera, commonly referred to as flower flies. Observations primarily focused on Episyrphus balteatus De Geer, whose larval stages were found actively preying in the Rohilkhand region of Uttar Pradesh.