Hoverfly

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Hover fly
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Syrphidae
Temporal range: Eocene–Present
Sixteen different species of hoverflies
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Section: Aschiza
Superfamily: Syrphoidea
Family: Syrphidae
Latreille, 1802
Subfamilies

Hoverflies, also called flower flies or syrphids, make up the

thrips
, and other plant-sucking insects.

Insects such as

biological control, while the adults are pollinators
.

About 6,000 species in 200 genera have been described. Hoverflies are common throughout the world and can be found on all continents except Antarctica. Hoverflies are harmless to most mammals, though many species are mimics of stinging wasps and bees, a mimicry which may serve to ward off predators.

Hoverfly hovering behavior is unlike that of

hummingbirds since they do not feed in midair. Hovering in general may be a means of finding a food source; in addition, male hovering is often a territorial display seeking females,[1]
while female hovering serves to inspect
ovipositing sites. [2] [3] [4]
A hoverfly on flowers in Japan

Description

The size of hoverflies varies depending on the species.

wasps or bees; they exhibit Batesian mimicry. Despite this, hoverflies are harmless to humans.[5] Drone flies, Eristalis tenax, are an example of a species of hoverfly who exhibit Batesian mimicry.[citation needed
]

With a few exceptions,[11] Hoverflies are distinguished from other flies by having a spurious vein, located parallel to their fourth longitudinal wing vein.[5] Adults feed mainly on nectar and pollen.[10] Many species also hover around flowers, lending to their common name.[5]

Bee flies of the family Bombyliidae often mimic Hymenoptera and hover around flowers, as well, rendering some bombyliid species hard to tell apart from Syrphidae at first glance. Hoverflies can, nevertheless, be distinguished in the field by anatomical features such as:[citation needed]

  • The legs and mouthparts of hoverflies are usually not particularly long and thin (some bombyliids have a long and needle-like proboscis, many have legs that are noticeably longer and thinner than in similar-sized syrphids)
  • Their facial cuticle often has prominent bulges and/or beak- to knob-like projections (most bee flies have an evenly curved or sloping face).
  • The wings are often clear or have smooth gradients of tinting, and their veins merge posteriorly into a "false edge" that runs parallel to the wing's true rear edge and extends along half or more of the wing length (bombyliid wings lack a "false rear edge" and often have large dark areas with sharp boundaries, or complex patterns of spots).
  • Their abdomens and thoraces often have glossy cuticular body surfaces, abdominal colors are usually mainly due to cuticular pigments (bee flies are usually very hairy, their abdominal colors are almost always due to pigmentation of hairs and not the underlying cuticle).
Their wariness of people is surprisingly low, and their behaviour can be observed up close.

Reproduction and life cycle

Midair mating of Simosyrphus grandicornis

Unlike adults, the

biological control. This includes one of the most common widespread hoverfly species, Episyrphus balteatus, whose larvae feed on aphids. Certain species, such as Merodon equestris or Eumerus tuberculatus, are responsible for pollination.[citation needed
]

Hoverfly depositing egg on Epipactis helleborine which has ants farming aphids

An example of a well-known hoverfly maggot is the

drone fly, Eristalis tenax. It has a breathing siphon at its rear end, giving it its name.[5] The species lives in stagnant water, such as sewage and lagoons.[13] The maggots also have a commercial use, and are sometimes sold for ice fishing.[14]

An ichneumonid wasp ovipositing inside a hoverfly larva

Very rarely, hoverfly larvae have caused accidental myiasis in humans. This occurs when the larvae are accidentally ingested from contaminated food.[13][15]

Evolution

The oldest known fossils of crown group

stem group to the family.[16]

Distribution and habitat

Hoverflies are a

common hoverfly, Melangyna viridiceps, is common in the Australasian realm. About 6,000 species and 200 genera are in the family.[19]

While some hoverfly larvae are aquatic and are often found in stagnant water, those of species that prey upon

myrmecophiles, found in ant or termite nests.[5]
Others can be found in decomposing vegetation.

Pollination

Episyrphus balteatus on a daisy
Eupeodes corollae

Hoverflies are important

bees. However, relatively little research into fly pollinators has been conducted compared with bee species.[21]
Bees are thought to be able to carry a greater volume of pollen on their bodies, but flies may be able to compensate for this by making a greater number of flower visits.

Like many pollinator groups, syrphid flies range from species that take a generalist approach to foraging by visiting a wide range of plant species through those that specialize in a narrow range of plants.[22] Although hoverflies are often considered mainly nonselective pollinators, some hoverflies species are highly selective and carry pollen from one plant species.[23] Cheilosia albitarsis is thought to only visit Ranunculus repens.

Specific flower preferences differ among species, but syrphid fly species have repeatedly been shown to prefer white- and yellow-coloured flowers.[24] Nonvisual flower cues such as olfactory cues also help these flies to find flowers, especially those that are not yellow.[25] Many syrphid fly species have short, unspecialized mouth parts and tend to feed on flowers that are more open as the nectar and pollen can be easily accessed.[26]

Also, a number of interactions occur between orchids and hoverflies. The orchid species

slipper orchid in southwest China, also achieves pollination by deceit by exploiting the innate yellow color preference of syrphids.[28]

Systematics

Main article:
Genera of Syrphidae

Relationship with humans

Hoverfly nectaring on a small flower bud covered with dew drops.

Adult syrphid flies are pollinators.

Larvae of many hoverfly species prey upon pest insects, including

yarrow.[29] Larvae in the subfamily Eristalinae
live in semi-aquatic and aquatic environments, including manure and compost, and can filter and purify water.

Fredrik Sjöberg's [sv] book The Fly Trap concerns his enthusiasm for hoverflies on the island of Runmarö in the Baltic Sea.[30] The island is a hotspot for hoverflies and other insects; Sjöberg has collected 58 species of butterflies there, and (in seven years of hunting) 202 species of hoverflies, including 180 in his garden.[31]

Identification guides

Regional lists

References

  1. doi:10.1007/BF00656597
    .
  2. ^ Almohamad, Raki; Verheggen, François J.; HaubrugeUniv, Éric (2009). "Searching and oviposition behavior of aphidophagous hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae): a review". Biotechnologie, Agronomie, Société et Environnement. 13 (3): 467–481.
  3. ^ Vera Strader. "Hover Flies, a Gardener's Friend" (PDF). University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources.
  4. ^ Peter Chen (December 6, 2023). "Allograpta exotica ovipositing - Allograpta exotica - Female". Bugguide. Iowa State University.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g "hoverfly". Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 2009. Retrieved December 5, 2009.
  6. ISBN 1-899935-03-7
    .
  7. ISBN 1-870393-54-6
    .
  8. ISBN 90-5011-199-8
    .
  9. ISBN 9780691189406
    .
  10. ^ a b c d "Hoverfly". Hutchinson Encyclopedia. Helicon Publishing. 2009. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
  11. PDF). Zoologische Mededelingen
    . 82: 177–188.
  12. S2CID 85070615
    .
  13. ^
    PMID 10475752
    .
  14. ^ Dictionary of Ichthyology; Brian W. Coad and Don E. McAllister Archived 2009-12-06 at the Wayback Machine at ww.briancoad.com
  15. S2CID 12898612
    .
  16. S2CID 91679754
    .
  17. ^ Barkemeyer, Werner. "Syrphidae (hoverflies)". Biodiversity Explorer. South Africa: Iziko Museum. Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved December 11, 2009.
  18. ^ Thompson, F. Christian (August 19, 1999). "Flower Flies". The Diptera Site. United States Department of Agriculture. Archived from the original on December 11, 2009. Retrieved December 11, 2009.
  19. ISBN 978-0-12-372500-4
    .
  20. ^ Laura Smith. "Syrphidae, hoverflies". bumblebee.org.
  21. ^
    S2CID 55767580
    .
  22. PMID 25754608
    .
  23. S2CID 9178645
    .
  24. ^ Sajjad, Asif; Saeed, Shafqat (2010). "Floral host plant range of syrphid flies (Syrphidae: Diptera) under natural conditions in southern punjab, Pakistan". Pakistan Journal of Biology. 42 (2): 1187–1200.
  25. S2CID 23245484
    .
  26. doi:10.1016/j.baae.2012.04.003.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link
    )
  27. PMID 20943694
    .
  28. PMID 19121110
    .
  29. ^ Ben-Issa, R., Gomez, L., & Gautier, H. (2017). Companion Plants for Aphid Pest Management. Insects, 8(4), 112. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects8040112
  30. ISBN 978-1-84614-776-0
    .
  31. ^ Barkham, Patrick (14 June 2014). "Fredrik Sjöberg: 'I realised I had to write my book for people not interested in flies'". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 March 2015.

External links

Species lists

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