What do syrphid flies do?

Adult hoverflies feed on flower nectar and help pollinate some crops, but it is the larvae that are important predators in the garden. The tiny, nearly invisible slug-like larvae scour the undersides of plant leaves for aphids, and eat them as their primary food source. They can be seen with a 10x magnifying glass.

Are syrphid fly predators?

Syrphid Flies (The Hovering Agents) Syrphids form one of the most common predators present in aphid patches. They are the first and last predators to exploit prey patches.

What do syrphid flies look like?

Hover flies are true flies, but they look like small bees or wasps. They are the helicopters of the insect world, often seen hovering in the air, darting a short distance, and then hovering again.

What does a syrphid fly look like as an adult?

Adult Syrphid Flies look like wasps or bees. In fact, when you see one you will probably think it is a bee because of the color and shape. Most adult Syrphid flies are black or brown with yellow stripes on their abdomens. They are about 1/4 to 3/4 inches long.

What do syrphid flies do on a plant?

Adult Syrphid flies can often be found hovering over flowers where they feed mostly on nectar and pollen. They hover motionless except for the beating of their wings. Like bees, they are “pollinators” (pollinators move pollen from the male part of a plant to the female part of a plant so that the plant can reproduce).

What makes a syrphid fly different from a bee?

In fact, when you see one you will probably think it is a bee because of the color and shape. Most adult Syrphid flies are black or brown with yellow stripes on their abdomens. They are about 1/4 to 3/4 inches long. Syrphid flies are different from bees because the do not sting or bite.

Where do syrphid flies lay their eggs in the summer?

Syrphid fly. Syrphid fly. Some syrphid fly species overwinter as adults, though most overwinter as larvae in leaf litter. Adults emerge in early summer and feed on nectar and the honeydew from aphids. Females lay hundreds of eggs on leaves near soft-bodied insect prey, usually aphid colonies.