Hornet hoverfly by Wendy Carter
Wild about hoverflies
The humble hoverfly. These small creatures often fly under the radar. It’s no wonder; with many hoverfly species mimicking bees, wasps and even hornets in appearance, they really are masters of disguise. Their varying colours and markings have inspired some rather distinctive common names – footballer, marmalade and Batman, to name a few.
If hoverflies are so good at looking like other insects, how can you identify one? If you are lucky enough to spot one perched on a leaf or flower, take a look at their wings; hoverflies have one pair of flight wings, whereas bees and wasps have two.
Not only do hoverflies go unnoticed in gardens but they’re also underappreciated. Hoverflies are fantastic pollinators and in the insect kingdom, are only bested by bees in their pollinating ability.
However, unfortunately these unsung heroes are struggling, with hoverfly distribution declining by 44% since the 1980s. Can you give these insects a helping hand on your patch?
Wild about hoverflies booklet cover
Become a hoverfly hero!
There are plenty of things that you can do in your garden to give hoverflies a much-needed boost. From planting pollinator-friendly flowers in pots or creating a hoverfly lagoon to leaving log piles on lawns, learn more about how to help these insects in our ‘Wild about hoverflies’ booklet.
Discover how to identify the most common species of hoverfly with our spotter sheet.
Humble hoverflies spotter sheet
Batman hoverfly Myathropa florea by Wendy Carter
Be a Batman spotter
Whilst hoverflies can be difficult to identify, the Batman hoverfly has a feature you’re unlikely to forget; if you spot one at rest, you’ll discover a distinctive bat-shaped marking on their thorax!
The larvae of these hoverflies rely on damp and wet conditions, such as rot holes in trees or damp compost heaps. With increasingly dry summers, it’s possible that changes in weather patterns could affect their abundance or distribution.
Although Batman hoverflies are relatively common across Worcestershire, we’re keen to know how this species is faring. You can help us to monitor numbers of Batman hoverflies across Worcestershire by recording your wildlife sightings.
