This is nature's way of protecting the
hoverfly from its predators such as birds, which mistake them for stinging insects.
Pollinator: A
hoverfly is drawn to a colourful aster Monch flower
Unpopular: The more muscular wasp A
hoverfly sizes up a Leucanthemum, a genus of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae
POLLINATOR A
hoverfly is drawn to a colourful aster Monch flower
The insect, an ant-nest
hoverfly, belongs to a group with adults that have forward-pointing antennae, short pointed wings and a dumpy build.
The research, led by the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, measured the presence of 353 wild bee and
hoverfly species across the country, from 1980 to 2013.
Field surveys were conducted to assess the seasonal occurrence and density of
hoverfly predator, Episurphus baltatus (De Geer) and its prey aphid, Myzus persicae on Brassica campestris L.
The joy of hitting the natural balance is that although you may see a greenfly colonies on your nasturtiums, you can watch
hoverfly larvae devour the greenfly on your roses, or delight in your kids counting the spots on the ladybirds and see the light catching lacewings' delicate green wings.
The joy of hitting the natural balance is that although you may see a couple of blackfly or greenfly colonies on your nasturtiums, you can also watch
hoverfly larvae devour the greenfly on your roses, or delight in your kids counting the spots on the ladybirds and see the light catching the delicate green wings of the lacewings.
Meanwhile,
hoverfly larvae consume aphis by the hundreds so apiaceae are good news all round.