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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
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.
Hoverfly in flight. Sometimes they are called flower flies or syrphid flies and are often seen nectaring at flowers. Hoverflies are harmless, but are looking more dangerous like wasps or bees (mimicry).
Syrphidae spec., Germany
Canon 50 D with 100 mm, 2.8 L Marco - ISO 200, F 5, 1/400 sec.
Another shot of the male hoverfly sat on the campion flower.
Taken using the Fujifilm HS20EXR and the Raynox dcr250 macro lens.
This is a handheld stack of 5 images in natural light.
Quite a breezy day, but fortunately, the fly sat in the same position throughout.
Best viewed large on black.
A macro image of another camera-friendly hoverfly sitting on a flower at Logan Botanic Gardens, Dumfries & Galloway.
Hoverfly Eupeodes sp. egg laying on another aphid covered hibiscus seed pod. There's even an aphid doing handstands on top of the pod
Hoverfly Volucella zonaria on a mission. She continued walking into the nest stopping every now and the to check the wasps were taking no notice of her.
Her mission was of couse to get into the wasp's nest and lay her eggs where the resulting larvae feed on the detritus and left overs of the dying wasp's nest
Whist the female marmalade hoverflies were fattening up on ground elder in the neighbour's front garden, The males were doing territorial fighting around a mollis azalea bush in my back garden. This one seems to have some peculiar eye damage on one eye
Hoverfly eggs laid by Helophilus pendulus on the underside of leaves overhanging a large birdbath. Focus stacked using zerene
Rather small Hoverfly.
Taken on The Greenway between Derrington and Haughton Staffordshire. 9th September 2011