Hoverflies
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Although these are often mistaken for bees or wasps, hoverflies are in fact a group of flies, often brightly coloured. Although they don’t have stings, by mimicking bees or wasps they can protect themselves from predators.
There are about 280 species of hoverfly in the UK, but here are some of the more common and distinctive ones
Photo: Quartl CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia
Marmalade Fly Episyrphus balteatus
This is one of most common and easy-to-spot hoverflies, as they migrate over from Europe in huge numbers over the summer.
You can easily identify this species from the pair of black stripes on each section of their abdomen, while others only have one. The second stripe is usually curved, looking a bit like a moustache!
Depending on the temperature the larvae develop at, the markings can vary from orange to almost black
Drone Fly Eristalis spp.
These hoverflies avoid predators by mimicking honeybees, but you can tell the difference as they are less hairy, have wider eyes, and the antennae are short and stubby.
You can often see the males hovering in sunny spots waiting to dart at females or intruders!
Photo: Charles J. Sharp CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia
Photo: Biodehio CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia
Great Pied Hoverfly Volucella pellucens
This large, bumblebee-shaped fly is easily recognisable from the wide pale stripe on the front half of the abdomen, and the dark spots on the wings.
The larvae have a sneaky source of food- they live in the nests of social wasps, feeding on leftovers and debris on the nest floor!
Bumblebee Mimic Hoverfly Volucella bombylans
This fly does a really impressive job of mimicking not only one, but two, bumblebee species! There are two common forms, one with yellow stripes and a white patch at the end of the abdomen (top image), that mimics the white-tailed bumblebee, and the other mainly black with an orange-red patch at the end of the abdomen (bottom image), mimicking the red-tailed bumblebee. This strategy of having different forms in the same species is known as polymorphism.
Don’t be fooled by this fly- here’s how to see through its bumblebee disguise. Look closely, and you’ll see it has shorter, stubbier antennae and much larger eyes. Flies also only have one pair of wings, while bees have two.
Photo: Eichler, Andreas CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia
Photo: gailhampshire CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia
Photo: Hans Hillewaert CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia
Tiger Hoverfly Helophilus spp.
These hoverflies have very distinctive vertical stripes on the thorax, earning one species, Helophulis pendulus, the nickname of The Footballer, as it looks like it's wearing a stripy shirt!
Long Hoverfly Sphaerophoria scripta
This small hoverfly has a long thin abdomen that extends beyond its wings, with a pointed tip and
quite a complicated pattern at the end.
Depending on the temperature the larvae develop at, they can be bright yellow and black or much darker with thinner stripes.
Photo: Luis Fernández García CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia
Photo: Charles J. Sharp CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia
Common banded hoverfly Syrphus ribesii
This fly has neat moustache-shaped yellow stripes on a black abdomen, the first stripe split into two parts.
The males make a humming sound while resting by vibrating their wings, a common noise in woodland during the summer.
Migrant Hoverfly Eupeodes corollae
These bright hoverflies have crescent-shaped yellow patches on a black abdomen.
The yellow markings are wider in males and often overlap, while in females they are narrower and more distinct.
Photo: Alvesgaspar CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia
Here are some excellent further resources for hoverfly identification
NatureSpot common species guide
https://www.naturespot.org.uk/wildlifeguide/common-hoverflies
NatureSpot more detailed guide
https://www.naturespot.org.uk/gallery/hoverflies
Book: Britain's Hoverflies A Field Guide by Stuart Ball and Roger Morris
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