So, You've Spotted Your First Hoverflies – What's Next?
If you read my previous article, How to Start Watching Hoverflies Today – No Equipment Needed, then brilliant, welcome back. If not, and you're wondering how to get started, you might want to read this article first (click here).
Last time, we looked at some of the key features that help distinguish hoverflies from other insects in the field. The next step is learning how to get a closer look at them so you can begin to marvel at these fascinating flies. Hoverflies are remarkable creatures: pollinators, decomposers, and natural pest controllers all wrapped up in one little insect.
Once you've spotted a hoverfly, there are three main ways to get a closer look.
1. Observe it from a distance with binoculars.2. Take photographs on your smartphone.
3. Capture it briefly for closer inspection with pots.
Each approach has its advantages, and which one you choose will depend on your confidence, the equipment you have available, and the species you're trying to identify.
Let's take a look at each method in turn.
Looking From Afar.
When I head out on one of my hoverfly-spotting adventures, I always carry a pair of binoculars. Not for birdwatching, although they come in handy for that too, but for hoverflies.
Hoverflies are remarkably aware of movement around them. Their large compound eyes provide excellent vision, and they also possess three simple eyes, known as ocelli, arranged in a small triangle on the top of the head. These help them detect changes in light intensity and maintain orientation during flight.
This sensitivity is one reason hoverflies can seem so difficult to approach. Move too quickly, make a sudden movement, or cast a shadow over them, and they're often gone in an instant.
Rather than walking straight into a patch of flowers, I usually stand back and watch through my binoculars first. This allows me to observe behaviour and pick out important features without disturbing the insect.
You can learn a surprising amount this way. Is the hoverfly basking in the sun? Feeding on nectar? Defending a territory? Different species often have distinct habits, and behaviour can provide useful clues to their identity.
If I spot something particularly interesting, I'll then begin a slow and careful approach.
With a little experience, it's often possible to identify some species simply by studying their shape, size, markings, and behaviour from a distance, leaving the hoverfly to get on with feeding, basking, or patrolling its territory completely undisturbed.
Taking a Photograph – Which Parts Matter?
Most modern smartphones are perfectly capable of taking excellent photographs suitable for hoverfly identification.
You don't need an expensive camera or a specialist macro lens to get started. In fact, many records submitted by beginners are identified from phone photographs alone.
The most useful image is usually taken from above, showing the thorax and abdomen. This view often reveals the patterns, colours, and markings that are used to distinguish one species from another.
At this stage, identification is often little more than pattern recognition. You're comparing the hoverfly you've photographed with images in a field guide or online resource, looking for the closest match.
If the hoverfly remains cooperative, try taking a few additional photographs from different angles:
• From the side.
• From the front.
• Of the wings.
• Of any distinctive leg features.
These extra views can be invaluable when dealing with more challenging groups. Two species may look almost identical from above, yet have completely different facial features, leg colours, or wing markings.
Don't worry if your photographs aren't perfect. Even experienced hoverfly spotters return home with plenty of blurry images. The key is to take several photographs whenever possible, as each one may reveal a detail that proves crucial later when you're trying to put a name to your hoverfly.
The photograph serves another important purpose. Once you start using identification guides, you'll soon realise that many hoverflies look remarkably alike. A photograph gives you time to study the finer details at home and compare them with reference images. Features that seemed insignificant in the field can turn out to be essential for reaching a confident identification.
What Do I Do with the Photograph?
Once you have your photograph, there are two main ways to find out what you've seen.
Use an Identification Guide.
If you own a hoverfly guide, great, start by flicking through the photographs and illustrations, looking for species that resemble your insect. If you don't, I've listed some of my favourite guides. (click here). I'm still adding reviews, so why not subscribe and join our growing community of nature lovers? You'll receive weekly updates on hoverflies, wildlife, and the wonders waiting just outside your door.
As you compare your photograph with the images in a guide, pay attention to features such as body shape, colour patterns, markings, and size. Even if you don't reach a definite identification straight away, you'll often be able to narrow your hoverfly down to a particular group.
A quick one-page reference guide might just help.
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Source: |
https://andyunderscore.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/hoverfly-poster-a3.pdf
The more photographs you examine, the more you'll start to recognise recurring patterns. Over time, you'll begin noticing the subtle features that separate one species, or group of species, from another. Eventually, you'll find yourself identifying many hoverflies almost instinctively.
Use iNaturalist.
Alternatively, you can upload your photograph to iNaturalist, a free app and website available for smartphones and computers.
Once uploaded, iNaturalist compares your photograph with its vast database of observations and suggests possible matches. In many cases it can identify a hoverfly to species level.
It's important to remember that these suggestions are generated using artificial intelligence through comparisons with previously identified records.
If iNaturalist returns a low-confidence result, this may simply mean that the photograph doesn't show the features needed for a reliable identification. Uploading several photographs from different angles can improve the accuracy considerably.
One of the greatest benefits of iNaturalist is that other users can review your observation and offer their own identifications. This means that, over time, your record may be checked and refined by people with more experience, making it a valuable learning tool as well as an identification aid.
Most importantly, don't assume the app is always correct. Treat its suggestions as a helpful starting point rather than a final answer.
Catching a Hoverfly for a Closer Look.
This is actually my preferred method when I want to examine a hoverfly in detail.
All you really need is a small clear pot and a hand lens. A jam jar or small glass yoghurt pot works perfectly well.
Capturing a hoverfly briefly causes no harm when done carefully. Simply place the pot over the insect and gently slide a lid, or card, or piece of stiff paper underneath.
Don’t worry if it gets away. That’s all part of hoverfly spotting! Somehow, it's always the most interesting hoverfly that chooses that moment to fly off. With practice, you'll develop your own technique and become much more successful.
Once the hoverfly is safely contained, you can take your time examining features that are often difficult to see in the field. A hand lens can reveal details of the eyes, antennae, thorax, abdomen, wing veins, and markings that might otherwise be missed.
That said, it's important not to keep any insect confined for longer than necessary, particularly females that may be feeding, egg-laying, or searching for suitable places to lay their eggs. Once you've had a good look, simply release the hoverfly where you found it and let it get on with its day.
The advantage of this approach is that it allows you to observe the insect at close range while causing minimal disturbance, often revealing features that make identification much easier.
Don't Worry About Getting It Wrong.
I always face the same dilemma when I encounter a hoverfly: do I observe it from a distance, take a photograph, or capture it briefly in a pot for closer examination?
If I'm some distance from the flower border, I'll usually start by observing it from afar, often with binoculars. If I'm already amongst the flowers, the decision largely depends on how active the hoverfly is. If it's settled and concentrating on feeding, I'll try to take a photograph that captures the features I need for identification. A good top-down image is often enough for many of the more common species.
However, if the hoverfly belongs to one of the trickier groups, where fine details are needed to confirm the identification, I'll usually pot it up for a closer look with a hand lens. This is particularly true for genera such as Eristalis, Syrphus, and especially Cheilosia, - many of which contain species that can be difficult and sometime impossible to separate from photographs alone.
There isn't a right or wrong approach. The best method is simply the one that allows you to see the features you need while causing the least disturbance to the insect.
At this stage, the goal isn't to identify every hoverfly you see. It's to start noticing the differences between them.
The more hoverflies you observe, photograph, and compare, the more familiar they become. Before long, you'll begin recognising common species such as the Marmalade, Footballer and Batman without needing to reach for a guide.
So, get outside, find a patch of flowers, and see what turns up. You might be surprised at just how much hoverfly diversity is waiting in your garden, local park, or nature reserve.
Happy hoverfly hunting, I'd love to hear how you get on and whether any of the tips above helped.
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