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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.
The Sphaerophoria scripta, commonly known as the long hoverfly or common globetail, ranges from 7 mm to 12 mm in total body length, with a wingspan of 5 mm to 7 mm.
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.
Another attempt at getting these little hovering flies. They are a great challenge, although easier than swallows in flight.
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
The Hoverfly is a harmless insect that mimics wasps and bees with its black and yellow stripes. It has one pair of clear wings, large dark eyes, and a short antenna. Hoverlfies are excellent fliers, often seen hovering in place before darting quickly to another flower. They feed on nectar and pollen, making them important pollinators.
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.
These two showed up while I was waiting for butterflies by the butterfly bush. They were going at it in the air and then plopped down on this leaf and continued. I couldn't resist. I know, I am sick. :D
Hoverfly eggs laid by Helophilus pendulus on the underside of leaves overhanging a large birdbath. Focus stacked using zerene