Facts about Hoverflies volume 3:

Hoverfly Lifecycle

Like butterflies and moths a hoverfly lifecycle starts with an egg. These eggs hatch into a larva before going through 3 stages of larval developmental each of incremental sizes. They then pupate, before metamorphosing into an adult. See diagram below.

Diagram showing the simplified hoverfly lifecycle

A hoverfly egg can take 3 days to a couple of weeks to hatch. When the eggs are laid, they gain a waterproof coat called the chorion which prevents it from drowning or drying out, yet it is breathable to allow oxygen in and waste gases out. It is also, when laid, coated in a sticky adhesive ensuring the egg remains where the female chooses to lay it.

Facts about Hoverflies Volume 2

Proximity to humans

Hoverflies are drawn to humans for various reasons, but when captured, they employ clever tactics to deceive and defend themselves. Discover their surprising strategies below.

Dabbers: 

Hoverflies unlike some other flies don't bite but rather have short spongy mouthparts that dab. They dab the surface of your skin, likely seeking salt and moisture. This dabbing habit can tickle. At a flower they will be dabbing up nectar.

Photo Credit: K.Hinchcliffe

Facts about Hoverflies Volume 1

Things to know about hoverflies Volume 1.

1. Hoverflies can be spotted in most habitats; wetlands, meadows, brown-field sites, woodland and their edges, hedges, parks, gardens, coastal, uplands and marshes. Hoverflies are not so good in cold areas of the planet like the poles or in very hot places like deserts, in fact none are known to exist in Antarctica.
   

Facts about hoverflies

Things to know about hoverflies:

     1. Hoverflies are flies meaning they have 2 wings instead of 4 like Bees, Wasps & Ants. The 2nd pair of wings have devolved into club-like structures called halteres that act as a gyroscope. They can even fly backwards as well as hover.