Pleach

By Pleach

Hoverfly

There are several hoverflies in the garden and this one was sampling the nectar in a verbena flower. Hoverflies are able to hover for a while before swooping down looking a little like wasps and sometimes bees, but they are in fact true flies and do not sting. Because they generally mimic bees and wasps which are insects that sting and also taste unpleasant, they are avoided by predators. They are very useful because not only do they help to pollinate flowers but the larvae love to eat aphids.

There are about 270 species in Britain so I have tried to identify this and wonder if it's a female Episyrphus Balteatus but perhaps someone can enlighten me.

(You can see the shimmer on its wings in large)

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