Hoverfly Genera

Acrostic hoverfly genera

Each slide explores a different genus: The genus name is split such that each letter forms a sentence, highlighting unique features of the incredible syrphids within each group, posted alongside artwork and habitat preferences.

All the photographs and artwork featured are my own, making this a truly personal project.
Just added Episyrphus 14th January, previously Scaeva,Syrphus,Volucella and Helophilus.

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Drop by often and enjoy the journey into the world of hoverflies genera!

Episyrphus

Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)

Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus) Wing length: 6-10.25mm. Flight: All year.

Species to spot in January

If there is one hoverfly everyone probably can spot and maybe even identify it's the Marmalade hoverfly. It is found in most habitats, but especially common in and around the flowers in one’s garden and by far the commonest hoverfly in the country. It is also migratory and has on occasion caused alarm when they invade from the continent in their thousands. They even reached the broadsheets one year causing mass panic to the un-informed, who mistook them for wasps.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2004/aug/03/sillyseason.science

They are not only great pollinators but are also, due to volume in numbers, a superb natural pest controller, worthy of attracting to the garden. Encourage them to lay their eggs (white) so that the emerging larva can feast on the aphids in your vegetable patch, and you may get a better crop of cabbages, as they particularly like those aphids (Brevicoryne brassicae). The larvae which are legless, translucent with orange markings, can eat up to 400 aphids during development to adulthood. It would be nice to think that gardeners and farmers could leave these little ‘superheroes’ to resolve these pest problems, rather than with artificial solutions, especially during their peak months July to August.

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

New Year in Bloom: Sightings 2026

Hoverfly Sightings W/C 1st January 2026

Happy New Year everyone!

Hope all my readers have had a great festive season and are ready for new adventures to begin in 2026.

It’s not been the best of weeks for me with regards getting out and about nature spotting, but I did get out New Years Day and the 2nd of January, so below are the listings for those days. As I sit here and write up my sightings, I am looking out on a dusting of snow which always makes a lovely, picturesque setting, until someone goes out and puts boot prints all over the place.

Click below to find out what I found.

Christmas in Bloom: Sightings 2025

Hoverfly Sightings W/C 22nd December 2025

It has been a while since I did a sightings blog, but it being Christmas I thought I would go out spotting in and around my locality in order to finish off the records for the year.

Often people will go out on New Years Day to log flowers and birds they have seen. I thought I would do this throughout Christmas week. Over the last few years a few botanical groups have started doing these types of logs, as seen on social media, but I haven’t seen many birding groups doing the same has yet. I am sure it will become popularised over the next few years.

Click below to find out what I found.