Hoverfly

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Syrphidae
Hoverflies resting on a grass stalk late in the day
Hoverflies resting on a grass stalk late in the day
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Superfamily: Syrphoidea
Family: Syrphidae
Subfamilies

200 genera
about 5,000 species

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 recognised as important natural enemies of pests, and potential agents for use in biological control. Adult syrphid flies are important pollinators.

Many Syrphids mimic bees or wasps in appearance. It is thought that this mimicry protects hover flies from falling prey to birds and other insectivores which avoid eating true wasps because of their sting. However a flower fly and a wasp can be distinguished by counting the wings: the flies have two wings, and the wasps and bees have four. They can also be distinguished by simply looking at the head: if it looks like a fly's head, then it is likely a fly. Hover flies get their name from their characteristic flight pattern of hovering nearly still, then darting a short distance very rapidly only to start hovering again, a pattern not seen in the wasps and bees they mimic.

About 6,000 species in 200 genera have been described.

Contents

[edit] Hoverflies and gardening

Hoverfly larvae prey upon leafhoppers, which spread diseases like curly top. Therefore they are seen in agriculture as a natural means of reducing the risk of diseases like curly top.

Gardeners, therefore, will sometimes use companion plants to attract hoverflies. Those reputed to do so include alyssum, Iberis umbellata, statice, buckweat, and chamomile, parsley, yarrow.

[edit] Gallery

Female hoverfly of the genus Eristalis

Grooming Hoverfly

Episyrphus balteatus

Episyrphus balteatus

Wasp Mimic Temnostoma sp.

Honey Bee Mimic


Volucella inanis

Flower-fly Ocyptamus

Bumblebee Mimic
Mallota sp.




Helophilus pendulus

Bee mimic from the Western Ghats

Hoverflies mate in midair

[edit] Identification guides

  • Stubbs, A.E. and Falk, S.J. (2002) British Hoverflies An Illustrated Identification Guide. Originally published in 1983 with 469 pages, 12 col plates, b/w illus.British Entomological and Natural History Society [ISBN 1-899935-05-3]. 276 species are described and their identification is made easy by the extensive keys, which incorporate over 640 line drawings. The 12 superb colour plates by Steven Falk show 263 specimens depicting 190 different species. Good information on the family. An extensively revised second edition was published in 2002. This incorporates the new species added to the British list since 1983 and includes many name changes. The keys have been extensively revised to include the additional species, and also to include a number of European species which are considered likely to be found in Britain. There are 17 additional black & white plates illustrating the male genitalia of the difficult genera Cheilosia and Sphaerophoria.
  • Vockeroth , J.R. A revision of the genera of the Syrphini (Diptera: Syrphidae) Memoirs of the Entomological Society of Canada, no. 62:1-176. Keys subfamilies, tribes and genera on a world basis and under regions.

[edit] Species lists

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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