View allAll Photos Tagged hoverfly
A hoverfly in flight in my London garden. Macro shot using a Canon EOS 6D. Lots of out of focus shots before this one! 21st July 2020
Hoverflies, sometimes 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 (maggots) eat a wide range of foods. In some species, the larvae are saprotrophs, eating decaying plant and animal matter in the soil or in ponds and streams. In other species, the larvae are insectivores and prey on aphids, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects.
Aphids alone cause tens of millions of dollars of damage to crops worldwide every year; because of this, aphid-eating hoverflies are being recognized as important natural enemies of pests, and potential agents for use in biological control. Some adult syrphid flies are important pollinators.
About 6,000 species in 200 genera have been described. Hoverflies are common throughout the world and can be found on all continents except Antarctica. Hoverflies are harmless to most other animals, despite their mimicry of more dangerous wasps and bees, which wards off predators.Hoverflies, sometimes 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 (maggots) eat a wide range of foods. In some species, the larvae are saprotrophs, eating decaying plant and animal matter in the soil or in ponds and streams. In other species, the larvae are insectivores and prey on aphids, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects.
Aphids alone cause tens of millions of dollars of damage to crops worldwide every year; because of this, aphid-eating hoverflies are being recognized as important natural enemies of pests, and potential agents for use in biological control. Some adult syrphid flies are important pollinators.
About 6,000 species in 200 genera have been described. Hoverflies are common throughout the world and can be found on all continents except Antarctica. Hoverflies are harmless to most other animals, despite their mimicry of more dangerous wasps and bees, which wards off predators.
Camellia Sasanqua 'Setsugekka' and Hoverfly (Syrphidae). sometimes called flower flies, or syrphid flies
Nikon D7100
Tokina 100mm Macro
Raynox DCR-250
36mm Extension Tube
f/11 - 1/250 - ISO 100
Dual Godox V860 Speedlights 1/16 1/16 - homemade Diffuser
4 Images stacked (Handheld)
Studio / Live specimen
The Large Pied Hoverfly (Volucella pellucens) is also known as the Pellucid Hoverfly. As it's common name suggests, this is one of the largest flies in Britain. It has an ivory-white band across its middle and distinctive wing markings.
This common hoverfly can be found from May to October in well wooded hedgerows, woods and copses where it favours Bramble flowers and umbellifers. Numbers peak in June and July.
The larvae of this hoverfly live in the nests of social wasps and bumblebees, eating waste products and the bee larvae.
Taken in my garden in Northwest Leicestershire.
There were a couple of these flying round so I decided to have a go at a shot. This is the best of a bad bunch, highly amusing though.
Haven't a clue about species, if you know would you be kind enough to let me know.
Came across the little hoverfly while searching for dragonflies. Still just a bit early to the dragonflies in any numbers yet. At least in our area. I found out that I am really rusty with my macro technique after the long winter we had here. Really need to work on it.