Size, Shape, Competition, and Community Structure in Hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae)

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Abstract
(1) We look for evidence of competition as indicated by population fluctuations and morphological relationships betwen species of hoverfly (Diptera: Syrphidae) in an urban community. Adult populations of this community have been monitored weekly for the past 15 years in a garden site using a Malaise trap. (2) From analysis population fluctuations, there was little evidence of competitive interactions, except between species with predatory larvae. Even among these, highly specialized and moderately specialized predators do not appear to to compete with one another, but not with other predators. (3) Morphological features of the species played no detectable role in influencing population densities. (4) These data suggest that hoverfly species respond largely independently to fluctuations in essential resources. For the urban habitat studied, at least, the idea of ''community'' appears to be at best notional.