Cambridge Encyclopedia :: Cambridge Encyclopedia Vol. 35

hoverfly - Gallery, Identification guides

A medium to large fly often found hovering over flowers; adults resemble wasps, feeding on pollen and nectar; larvae diverse in habits, may be plant feeders, predators of aphids and insect larvae, or scavengers. (Order: Diptera. Family: Syrphidae, over 5000 species.)

iSyrphidae

Female Syrphid Fly - Helophilus sp.
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Superfamily: Syrphoidea
Family: Syrphidae
Subfamilies
Eristalinae Microdontinae Syrphinae

200 genera
about 5,000 species

Flies in the Diptera family Syrphidae are commonly known as hoverflies, flower flies, or Syrphid flies.

Gallery

Episyrphus balteatus

Episyrphus balteatus

Wasp Mimic Temnostoma sp.

Volucella inanis

Flower-fly Ocyptamus

Bumblebee Mimic
Mallota sp.

Helophilus pendulus

Bee mimic from the Western Ghats

Identification guides

Stubbs, A.E.

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