Where do hoverflies come from?
Around 6,000 species of hoverfly in 200 genera have been discovered worldwide. They can be found in most climates except extreme deserts, Antarctica and incredibly high latitudes. These hoverflies emerge between March and November, in the months of spring, summer and autumn.
Can hover flies live indoors?
Hover Flies live outdoors and are frequent garden visitors. If they happen to come indoors it is a mistake and they will not survive long. Since Hover Flies have such species diversity, there is a lot of diversity in what they eat.
What do hoverflies eat in the wild?
Some species of hoverflies live in stagnant water or on decaying vegetation and feed on detritus. Those in the genus Eristalis are detritivores; they are referred to as rat-tailed maggots as larvae (Figure 3B) and drone flies as adults (Figure 1C).
When do hoverflies come out in the UK?
These hoverflies emerge between March and November, in the months of spring, summer and autumn. However, only 40 of these species are commonly seen. 26 species have been identified on Bayer’s Orchard Farm in Essex since July 2018.
What does a hoverfly eat?
nectarAdult hoverflies feed on nectar and pollen. The adults need flowers as nectar and pollen sources. They are attracted to weedy borders or mixed garden plantings that are also infested with aphids.
How long does a hover fly live?
The hoverfly's lifespan is approximately one month, and their life cycle takes place in four stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult (imago). The period of their life cycle varies with the seasons. It spans three weeks in summer, whereas in winter, it spans a period of nine weeks.
Do Hoverflies sting people?
(2) Hover flies do not possess stingers – thus cannot sting. Hover fly (3) Hover flies have only a single pair of wings, a hairless body, and are more brightly colored (yellow and black abdo- mens) when compared to sweat bees.
Where do hover bees live?
Hover flies can be found in a wide range of habitats; from forests to different types of bushvelds and home gardens. However, ideal habitat preferences may differ largely between species depending on their preferences across geographical region.
Do hoverflies have nests?
Hover flies tend to build their nests in trees or other appealing spots in the garden.
Are hoverflies friendly?
Hover flies are harmless to most mammals, though many species are mimics of stinging wasps and bees, a mimicry which may serve to ward off predators.
Why are hoverflies attracted to me?
Hover flies just want to lick your sweat. They land on us to drink our sweat. They cannot sting or bite but lick with and probe with their tongue. Hover flies are attracted to us because of the water from sweat and the salt on our skin.
Is it a wasp or hoverfly?
The main difference is invisible to the lay observer, given that most encounters happen when the wasp or fly is airborne: wasps have four wings, hoverflies two. More obviously, wasps are "wasp- waisted" while the hoverfly's thorax and abdomen are divided by less of a narrowed section or have none at all.
How big can a hoverfly get?
Adults are robust to slender flies 1/8 to 1 inch (4–25 mm) long, varying by species. The broad head is about the width of the abdomen or wider and has large eyes with distinct antennae. The body of many adults is black with bands or stripes of orange, yellow, or white, resembling stinging bees or wasps.
What plants do hoverflies like?
Plants like late flowering asters (Aster, Rudbeckia and Helenium), knapweed, ivy and fennel are great for foraging hoverflies, as well as dandelions and buttercups (which you'll get for free if you mow your lawn less)4,5.
Where do hover flies lay eggs?
A) Females deposit eggs singly or in small batches in suitable places for the larvae to find food. Species that feed on aphids lay eggs near aphid colonies, species with larvae that are plant feeding would lay their eggs on a host plant, others lay eggs in stagnant water.
Are hoverflies good for your garden?
As well as helping to pollinate the flowers in your gardens, the larvae of many hoverflies have a voracious appetite for aphids and other garden pests, so it's just as important to provide for them as you would other pollinators.
What kills hover flies?
Vinegar Trap: Vinegar works well as bait for hoverflies. You can place vinegar in a soda bottle that you cut in half, and add a drop of dish soap. Cover the top with plastic wrap and make some holes in it. The flies will go in to get the vinegar and get stuck by the soap.
How long does a fly live inside?
The life expectancy of a housefly is generally 15 to 30 days and depends upon temperature and living conditions. Flies dwelling in warm homes and laboratories develop faster and live longer than their counterparts in the wild. The housefly's brief life cycle allows them to multiply quickly if left uncontrolled.
Why do hover flies follow you?
Hover flies just want to lick your sweat. They cannot sting or bite but lick with and probe with their tongue. Hover flies are attracted to us because of the water from sweat and the salt on our skin.
How many hours do flies live?
A small house fly sits on the wet leaf of a plant on Nov. 14, 2012, in Bremerton, Washington's Blueberry Park. When it finally reaches its adult stage, the common housefly (or Musca domestica) tends to live for about two to three weeks, but can live up to a couple months.
What Does a Hoverfly Look Like?
Hoverflies are among the most brightly coloured of all other flies. They can be distinguished by their black and yellow stripes that extend from just above their eyes to the tips of their abdomens. The pattern on the head is made up of a dark triangular blotch in front of each antennae, widening into orange spots or stripes at the top side.
How Can You Tell If a Bee Is a Hoverfly?
Although this common species may be one of the best examples of Batesian mimicry, bees can be quickly distinguished from hoverflies due to their hairy bodies and wasp-like waist.
Do Hoverflies Sting Or Bite?
Due to their harmless nature, there is no cause for alarm if you see these true flies around you, whether in the deep wild or in your home garden. Although hover flies may look like wasps and mimic the fearsome-looking European hornet, they are, in fact, harmless.
Are Hoverflies Good Or Bad?
Sadly considered as pests by some, hoverflies are good because they are major pollinators of plants, particularly those that require cross-pollination. Some of the plants that benefit from hoverfly species pollination are orchids, lilies, and vegetables such as broccoli, peas, and pumpkins.
What Do Hoverflies Eat?
Hover flies are not true parasites and do not feed on plants. The majority of adults feed on nectar and pollen from flowers by sucking the liquid up through the proboscis (and spiral-shaped mouths), which is located at the tip of their abdomen.
Where Do Hoverflies Live?
This family of insects is incredibly diverse and can be found in natural habitats around the world wherever plants are growing. They can be found in various climates and habitats, from coastal areas to ponds, and tropical rain forests to urban gardens.
Hoverfly Life Cycle
Female hoverflies lay eggs in soil or in decaying wood. The eggs hatch into larvae that over a period of about two weeks, transform into pupae, which rest inside cocoons made of silkworm or beetle-like silk. The pupae turn into adult flies after four to six weeks.
How long do hoverflies live?
The hoverfly’s lifespan is approximately one month, and their life cycle takes place in four stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult (imago). The period of their life cycle varies with the seasons. It spans three weeks in summer, whereas in winter, it spans a period of nine weeks.
How to identify a hoverfly?
The easiest way to identify a hoverfly is via its characteristic hovering, as bees and wasps do not hover much. Other ways to differentiate them involve close physical examination of the fly body. The bristles on the dorsal thorax are short and soft, and the antennae on the head are shorter than those of wasps. These flies are true flies belonging to the order Diptera, and hence have only one pair of wings and not two pairs as in the case of bees and wasps.
What is a hoverfly mimic?
Let's Work Together! Batesian mimicry is a survival tactic employed by a relatively harmless species to escape potential predators by exhibiting the appearance of a harmful species. The hoverfly employs this tactic to look like a wasp, bee, or even hornet, and is often mistaken by people and predators alike. Being a true fly, it doesn’t bite ...
What do larvae eat?
Larval stage. When the eggs hatch, the larvae emerge and start feeding on the plant leaves and aphid populations. They also feed on other small, soft insects. The larvae consume hundreds of aphids in this stage. The larvae are legless and maggot-like.
How many eggs do hoverflies lay?
A female hoverfly laying eggs. A female can lay up to 100 eggs during the course of their life. Females lay the fertilized eggs on plant shoots and leaves where they will have easy access to prey. The eggs are elongated ovals in shape and are whitish in color.
Why do gardeners like hoverflies?
Other interesting facts. ❖ Gardeners encourage hoverflies due to the fact that the larval stages prey on insect pests, and because they are great pollinators. ❖ The larvae can control 70 – 100% of the aphid population in their vicinity. ❖ They possess the ability to fly backwards. ❖ They do not sting or bite.
What are hoverflies' eyes like?
Eyes of a Female Hoverfly. The eyes of the females, on the other hand, are slightly smaller and placed apart. While the overall appearance is similar to other arthropod insects, such as bees and wasps, these flies exhibit a vast range of size and appearance―some are small and elongated, while others are large and hairy.
What is the common genus of hover flies?
There are thousands of species of hover flies worldwide and many in the state of Ohio. Some are small and shiny, like the common genus Toxomerus (Figure 1A), while others are robust and hairy like the genus Merodon (Figure 1B), which is a mimic of the bumble bee. However, one thing all hover flies have in common is a spurious wing vein ...
How big are hover flies?
Hover flies range in size from ¼ to 1¼ inches and are typically patterned in yellow and black, but can also have red, orange or brown markings (Figure 1). Being true flies, hover flies possess only one pair of wings, whereas other flying insects possess two pairs of wings.
Why are hover flies beneficial?
Many flies are actually considered beneficial because of the pest control or pollination services they provide within farm fields and gardens. The hover flies (Order Diptera, Family Syrphidae) are one group of “good flies” found commonly in Ohio. The hover flies are a diverse family, ranging widely in size, color and body shape (Figure 1).
What is the spurious vein on a hover fly?
It is an identifying characteristic of this very large and diverse family of flies, but generally only visible with a hand lens or microscope.
Do hover flies bite?
Hover flies generally mimic bees and wasps and therefore often cause panic when encountered, but they do not bite or sting. Many people will incorrectly refer to them as “sweat bees,” which do exist and can sting, but hover flies are harmless and fairly easy to distinguish with a bit of practice.
Can hover flies lay eggs?
But remember, they are harmless! White or yellow flowers with easy-to-access nectar and pollen are especially attractive to adult hover flies and can be a good way to bring them into your home gardens, where they may choose to lay their eggs and therefore provide pest control services as larvae.
What is a hoverfly?
Sitting within the Syrphidae family, the hoverfly is also known as the ‘syrphid fly’ or ‘flower fly’ due to their common habitat around flowers.
How many hoverflies are there in the UK?
270 hoverfly species exist in the UK. These hoverflies emerge between March and November, in the months of spring, summer and autumn. However, only 40 of these species are commonly seen. 26 species have been identified on Bayer’s Orchard Farm in Essex since July 2018.
What do hoverflies look like?
Although they may look like bees or wasps, there are plenty of things that stand out about them in comparison — which is why we’ve created an infographic to take you through ...
Do hoverflies pollinate?
As regular flower visitors to a wide range of plants and agricultural crops, hoverflies are some of the most important pollinators in many ecosystems. Although they can’t carry as much pollen on their bodies as bees, they can travel greater distances and make more flower visits.
Do hoverflies lay eggs?
Not only are they furry like ‘Hymenoptera’ (the family that wasps and bees sit under), but some species also lay their eggs in bees ’ nests, wave their front legs to resemble antennae or pretend to sting when provoked. Some of the flowers that hoverflies pollinate have also learned to be skilled at mimicry.
What are Hoverflies?
Hoverflies are a type of insect that lives near or on flowers. There are over 150 species of hoverflies in the USA, and they can often be found buzzing around flowers including bumble, primrose, hollyhock, daisy, chamomile, marigold, clover and dandelion.
10 Ways on how to get rid of hoverflies
There are a number of homemade fly repellents that will help you to get rid of hoverflies. One such recipe is to combine 1 cup of water, 5 cups of sugar, and 3 tablespoons of vinegar in a pan. Boil this concoction for approximately 15 minutes.
Getting rid of hoverflies Frequently Asked Questions
The first step is to find out why you have so many. If the homeowner has a lot of plants around their home, then there’s a good chance that these bugs are attracted to them and will come for more from time to time in search of food.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many ways that hoverflies might find themselves inside your home. You may have to try a few different techniques to figure out what will work for the specific infestation that you are experiencing!
