View allAll Photos Tagged hoverfly
Hoverfly Xanthogramma pedissequum on a bluebell. Having had the hoverfly on my hand , I persuaded it to go back onto a bluebell flower for a final shot
I've gone all nature......
Another macro taken with my 35mm and raynox.
Haven't a clue what the little chap is called - guessing a Hoverfly ??
hoverfly resting for a minute on some orange flowers.
Flies in the family Syrphidae are commonly known as hoverflies, flower flies, or syrphid flies.
From Wikipedia:
Flies in the Diptera family Syrphidae are commonly known as hoverflies, flower flies, or Syrphid flies.
As their common names suggest, they are often seen hovering or nectaring at flowers; the adults 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, and so aphid-feeding hover-flies are being recognized as important natural enemies of pests, and potential agents for use in biological control. Adult syrphid flies are important pollinators.
About 6,000 species in 200 genera have been described.
The hoverfly is a bee mimic and has no stinger. It is just a pretty fly that can scare you. Doesn't it look terribly dangerous sipping nectar from the aster?
For two years now I have been admiring the amazing Creation that lives just inside my ability to focus. You know what I mean ... all those little creatures and plants that we know are there but can't really look at because they are a little too small or move a little to fast. Macrophotography is truly a great way to capture and share the marvels of this middle world.
Hoverfly in flight taken with a Nikon D40 with a Sigma 70-300mm lens (manual focus)
Taken at WA6 7HN