Garden Stripey Hoverflies

What you could find in your garden, if you look?

When you are next out in the garden in your flower borders admiring the flowers, have a look for some tiny, medium and large stripy insects. These insects are not just endemic to this country in fact you can find them anywhere across globe. There are 280+ species that have colonised Britain since the last ice age, moving north as the ice sheet retreated. Varieties that visit our gardens are often very colourful but they will not sting you. They have big eyes relative to body size enabling them to fly away as you approach them, especially if you create a shadow over their ocelli (a triangle of light sensitive cells at the top of their head). If you don't disturb them the males will often sit basking in the sun patiently waiting for a lady to come by or a rival who will need fending-off. You might see an orange and black abdomen type scuttling from side to side on a leaf like a crab, or one with big bright red eyes. If you find some aphids on your plants look closely you might find a grub nearby farming the aphid's sugary excrement. But most likely you will see an insect that resembles a bee or wasp, but you would be wrong to think that's what they were. 

Footballer (Helophilus pendulus)      Batman (Myathropa florea)           Pied Plumehorn (Volucella pellucens)

 Marmalade (Episyrphus balteatus)     Common Long Globetail (Sphaerophoria scripta)    Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax)       

What you are observing is a pollinator and pest controller all in one, not a bee or wasp but a group of flies that have become mimics of their Hymenoptera cousins. They are in fact hoverflies and above are some common to the garden, and once you find them and start observing their behaviours, you may be able to observe some interesting and fascinating attributes that each species have. Knowing what to look for can make observing hoverflies as fascinating as watching garden birds. In fact, in a garden in Peterborough it has been documented that 70 hoverflies have been recorded, that's more than the number of different variety of butterflies or bumblebees you are likely to find. The best time to see hoverflies are between 8 and 5pm GMT with a peak around mid-morning to mid-afternoon, when nectar in flowers is more readily available. Each species having different peaks of activity which seems likely to be dependent on temperature, the general rule would be above 13 degrees you will encounter more species than at lower temperatures and they will be more noticeable around flowers. In colder temperatures hoverflies spend more time preening and less energy on flight. Temperatures above 25 degrees and they are also less noticeable. The best days to see them is when it's calm, humid conditions, the sky is bright yet overcast or when there is a mixture of cloud and sunny intervals. If the air temp cools the flies will disappear, but under warm conditions hoverflies usually remain on the flowers, particular the platforms provided by the carrot family. A sunny day after several dull ones or after rain, tend to give the best results. There will be fluctuations in numbers for species dependent on aphids and if you have a pond, you might attract a species with the common name footballer, Helophilus pendulus.