View allAll Photos Tagged hoverfly
Hoverflies, also known as flower flies, are small to medium-sized flies known for their remarkable ability to hover in mid-air and move rapidly between flowers. They are frequently observed mimicking the appearance of bees or wasps as a natural protective strategy.
Sorry that I can't determine which group or species this one belongs to , but common I suspect in Europe. Taken in SW Germany.
Hand-held macros shot.
Hoverflies, also called flower flies or syrphid flies, make up the insect family Syrphidae. As their common name suggests, they are often seen hovering or nectaring at flowers; the adults of many species feed mainly on nectar and pollen, while the larvae eat a wide range of foods.
I absolutely adore hoverflies and have been photographing them for several years. It's rather late I think for me to still be seeing these but while some of the garden plants are still blooming it seems some of the smaller hoverflies are seeking out the pollen.
Hoverfly on Coneflower
Backyard macro
A "much" larger than life view of this beautiful and interesting pollinating species.
Super tiny hoverfly, not much bigger than a mosquito, on the leaf of some pink flowers. The only bumble bee there wouldn't ever stop for a photo, just flew quickly while only brushing the blooms, so rude! :)
I don't have the species to hand, but it's a common hoverfly species anyway. Just chilling on this leaf!
In Horseshoe Thicket, Walthamstow Marshes. This is a female - the males don't have a gap between their eyes.
This bumblebee-mimic hoverfly is characterised by its long face and a lack of long hairy tufts on the base of the abdomen. Although widespread across England and Wales it's one I rarely see.
This one was feeding on hogweed alongside a footpath in Goathland in the North Yorkshire Moors.
Hoverflies or Flower Flies are common visitors to my backyard garden; this one is feeding on dandelion nectar. Often mistaken for bees or wasps, these harmless insects do not sting, and are beneficial as pollinators. Their larvae prey on aphids and other garden pests. They can be differentiated by their wing vein pattern, enormous eyes, small antennae, and other features. As there are more than 6,000 species worldwide in approximately 210 genera, I am not going to try to I.D. this one unless I break a leg and find myself enduring a long recovery time with nothing else to do.
105mm macro lens + 1.7x teleconverter, hand held, lying flat on the ground.
Photographed in Val Marie, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission © 2014 James R. Page - all rights reserved.