“Fly?! – you may ask in disbelief, - This is not a fly. It is a bee!”
If you think so, my friend, then you have been tricked by a Hoverfly (in the United Kingdom), or Flower fly (in the United States) from the Syrphidae family of the Diptera World. There are over 4000 representatives of this family of insects.
Hoverflies are harmless, and in order to protect themselves from predators they use the technique called “mimicry” to imitate dangerous insects like bees, wasps, or bumblebees. This is represented by certain colours, hairs on the body, movements and sounds.
The name “Hoverflies” these small (about 12 – 15 mm) insects have obtained due to another interesting technique – they are able to hover in the air without changing the position for a long time. This is used by male flies to demonstrate their ability to coordinate and control their flight, thus attracting females. They are like telling everyone: “If I have such ability, then my genes are excellent to give to the future generations!”.
One of the most well-known Hoverflies in Europe and Western Asia is Eristalis tenax L., described by the biologist Linnaeus in 1758. Its larva called the “rat” has long tail-like breathing tubes and is living in small ponds. Chrysalis is formed inside larva’s cover in the soil near the pond.
If you think so, my friend, then you have been tricked by a Hoverfly (in the United Kingdom), or Flower fly (in the United States) from the Syrphidae family of the Diptera World. There are over 4000 representatives of this family of insects.
Hoverflies are harmless, and in order to protect themselves from predators they use the technique called “mimicry” to imitate dangerous insects like bees, wasps, or bumblebees. This is represented by certain colours, hairs on the body, movements and sounds.
The name “Hoverflies” these small (about 12 – 15 mm) insects have obtained due to another interesting technique – they are able to hover in the air without changing the position for a long time. This is used by male flies to demonstrate their ability to coordinate and control their flight, thus attracting females. They are like telling everyone: “If I have such ability, then my genes are excellent to give to the future generations!”.
One of the most well-known Hoverflies in Europe and Western Asia is Eristalis tenax L., described by the biologist Linnaeus in 1758. Its larva called the “rat” has long tail-like breathing tubes and is living in small ponds. Chrysalis is formed inside larva’s cover in the soil near the pond.
Thus, if you see a black-and-yellow winged insect, do not be quick in calling it a bee. Look closer! In case the insect has only two wings (instead of four), big eyes and tiny antennae, then this is an amazing representative of the Syrphidae family – the Hoverfly.
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