View allAll Photos Tagged hoverfly
Hover-fly ( Episyrphus balteatus) feeding on Hoary plantain flowers (Plantago media). Bath Skyline walk, Claverton, England.
Garden image
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Feeding on one of our Coreopsis 'Zagreb' flowers this past summer. I used the Selective Color technique in my processing here.
There are many species of Hoverflies (6,000!) and most, like this one, mimic stinging bees to ward off predators.
Hoverfly Syrphus ribesii from the island Zealand (Denmark), 01-05-2021.
The image was taken handheld during my own private tour.
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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
Episyrphus balteatus, sometimes called the marmalade hoverfly, is a relatively small hoverfly (9–12 mm) of the Syrphidae family, widespread throughout the Palaearctic region, which covers Europe, North Asia, and North Africa. The upper side of the abdomen is patterned with orange and black bands. Two further identification characters are the presence of secondary black bands on the third and fourth dorsal plates and faint greyish longitudinal stripes on the thorax. Its color patterns may appear wasp-like to other animals, such as birds, protecting it from predation.
Episyrphus balteatus can be found throughout the year in various habitats, including urban gardens, visiting flowers for pollen and nectar. They often form dense migratory swarms, which may cause panic among people for their resemblance to wasps. It is among the very few species of flies capable of crushing pollen grains and feeding on them.[citation needed] The larva is terrestrial and feeds on aphids.
As in most other hoverflies, males can be easily identified by their holoptic eyes, i.e., left and right compound eyes touching at the top of their heads. Montenaken, Belgium
Can't say that I've ever found a pair of hoverflies mating before. They were on a wildflower called Philadelphia fleabane.
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This is a montage of my hoverfly shots over the last year since I got my Sigma 105 mm macro lens. I know my main interest is birds but these little guys fill in that awful gap in July and August when nothing much is happening birdwise. Interest in hovers has opened a whole new world of investigation and discovery and what is not to like about a group that likes sunshine, sits still and likes colourful flowers
This particular flower lasts until frost, so it was visited by many hoverflies and bees, especially in late fall.
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Still in my backyard, although we have moved on from migratory birds and will close with a couple of insect shots. Here's one of my most welcome insect residents.
Hoverflies are harmless bee mimics that do not sting. They feed on plant nectar and are sometimes called flower flies. Not only are they beneficial pollinators, but their larvae feed heavily on aphids. In addition to all this, they are quite beautiful. About 6,000 species of hoverfly exist worldwide, so I have decided not to drive myself crazy trying to ID them down to species. Several species appear in my garden each summer, some large, some very small, and carrying different markings that no doubt would help with ID. I am content just to enjoy them.
Photographed in my backyard Val Marie, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©2021 James R. Page - all rights reserved.
Marmalade hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus) drinking from a rain droplet on a leaf.
Bzyg prążkowany (Episyrphus balteatus) pijący z kropli deszczu na liściu.
The hoverfly is very common in spring. Similar in appearance to wasps because of its striped abdomen, it has no sting. And although it is a "fly", it is a great pollinator.
Not only do they hover motionless in the air, but they can move in any direction without turning their bodies.
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La mosca cernidora es muy común en primavera. Similar en apariencia debido a su abdomen rayado a las avispas, no presenta aguijón. Y a pesar de ser una "mosca" es una gran polinizadora.
No solo se suspende inmóviles en el aire, sino que pueden avanzar en cualquier dirección sin girar el cuerpo.
Marmalade hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus) drinking nectar from some flower.
Bzyg prążkowany (Episyrphus balteatus) pijący nektar z jakiegoś kwiatu.