View allAll Photos Tagged hoverfly
At the edge of a large pond. A first for me but sadly he has little chance unless his wings unfurl soon. (At least I am assuming they have not unfurled rather than they are deformed) See other photos
Hampton Wick Pond
TQ173692
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, aphidophagous 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 most continent except Antarctica. Hoverflies are harmless to most other animals despite their mimicry of the black and yellow stripes of wasps, which serves to ward off predators.
This hoverfly landed on my tripod leg, so I had to handhold this shot. Considering that I think it turned out quite well. You should check out the Large View
The hoverfly, Helophilus pendulus, is sometimes called 'The Footballer' due to its stripy thorax. However, there are actually several species with similar stripes which are difficult to tell apart. Another name is 'The Sunfly' due to its preference for bright sunny days. This is a common hoverfly that is widespread throughout Britain.
A hoverfly on a flower bud and leaf
D300s - Nikon AF Nikkor 28-70mm 1:3.5-4.5 D with 50mm f1.7 reversed, manually focused and lit with homemade ringflash
Hoverfly. Franco writes: 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 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.