Hmmm, is there anything quite as eye-catching as the bright hues of Hover Flies?
There are many insect species that I delight in seeing but Hover Flies top the list. Also known as Flower Flies because they are regularly found around flowers, they are often brightly coloured with spots, stripes and bands of yellow or brown covering their bodies.
There are in the neighbourhood of 6,000 Hover Fly species world-wide. 539 species have been recorded in Canada with close to 400 of them occurring in Ontario. I have recorded 68 species of Hover Flies so I can look forward to the delight of finding many more.
What is so special about Hover Flies?
The obvious answer is their tendency to hover – maintaining a spot in the air as part of their display behaviour.
The less apparent answer and more interesting answer is that they exhibit Batesian Mimicry. This is a biological phenomenon where a harmless or palatable species evolves to imitate the warning signs – such as bright colours, patterns or behaviours – of dangerous or unpalatable species as a defence mechanism. For example, Falsehorn Flies (example above) can be mistaken for wasps.
What do Hover Flies look like?
Hover Flies vary in size considerably depending on the species. Some are as tiny as 1/8” in length while others can be a full inch long. They also vary in shape from small, elongated and slender – like the Globetail displayed above – to large and chunky like the Meadow Fly at the head of this post.
How long do they live and where?
Hover Flies are commonly found in meadows, woodlands, grassland and gardens. Adults are often found near flowers as their principal food source is nectar and pollen. They have relatively short lifespans in Canada ranging from 15 to 50 days.
Where do they fit in the quilt of nature?
Hover Flies are important pollinators of flowering plants, as well as agricultural crops, and are often considered the second-most important group of pollinators after wild bees. Larvae of Hover Flies play a function in biocontrol in nature as they prey on pest insects like aphids and leafhoppers.
The heartwarming hues of Hover Flies – another fascinating patch in the quilt of nature stitched together by threads of interdependence and natural balance.
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Tags: Black Spur Fly · Falsehorn Fly · Globetail · metaphor · Michael Robert Dyet · Nature · Yellow-throated Meadow FlyNo Comments