{"id":8602,"date":"2019-03-27T14:21:58","date_gmt":"2019-03-27T18:21:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/home-and-garden-ipm\/?page_id=8602"},"modified":"2025-08-07T13:11:20","modified_gmt":"2025-08-07T17:11:20","slug":"syrphid-flies","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/home-and-garden-ipm\/fact-sheets\/common-name-listing\/syrphid-flies\/","title":{"rendered":"Syrphid Flies (Flower\/Hover Flies)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Syrphid flies<\/strong> (Family Syrphidae) are also known as flower flies or hover flies because they visit flowers to feed on nectar and pollen, often hovering in place while doing so.\u00a0 The adult flies are not predaceous, but many species of syrphid fly larvae <em>are<\/em>, preying on plant-sucking insects such as aphids, scale insects and thrips.\u00a0 The larvae of some other species feed on decaying plant and animal matter.\u00a0 Syrphid flies are therefore beneficial.\u00a0 Predaceous species of syrphid fly larvae help to suppress aphid infestations, as each larva is capable of consuming hundreds of aphids during its larval development.<\/p>\n<p>Many syrphid flies exhibit Batesian mimicry by impersonating bees and wasps, such as those belonging to the genera <em>Syrphus<\/em> and <em>Helophilus<\/em>, to name but a few.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 16%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-8602 gallery-columns-6 gallery-size-thumbnail'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/home-and-garden-ipm\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2010\/11\/SyrphidFly-DroneFly-03.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"125\" src=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/home-and-garden-ipm\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2010\/11\/SyrphidFly-DroneFly-03-e1649858013381-150x125.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Photo of a Common Drone Fly (Eristalis tenax), a species of syrphid fly that mimics a honey bee drone\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-687\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-687'>\n\t\t\t\tCommon Drone Fly (<i>Eristalis tenax<\/i>) (a species of syrphid fly that mimics a honey bee drone)\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/home-and-garden-ipm\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2010\/11\/DroneFly.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/home-and-garden-ipm\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2010\/11\/DroneFly-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Common Drone Fly (Eristalis tenax) on an aster flower (Drone fly is sometimes written as one word: Dronefly)\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-727\" srcset=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/home-and-garden-ipm\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2010\/11\/DroneFly-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/home-and-garden-ipm\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2010\/11\/DroneFly-32x32.jpg 32w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-727'>\n\t\t\t\tCommon Drone Fly (<i>Eristalis tenax<\/i>)  (Drone fly is sometimes written as one word: Dronefly)\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/home-and-garden-ipm\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2021\/01\/Droneflies-Syrphid-flies-101017.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/home-and-garden-ipm\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2021\/01\/Droneflies-Syrphid-flies-101017-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"A cluster of Common Drone Flies feeding on pollen of narrow-leaved goldenrod flowers at Schoodic Point in Acadia National Park; 10\/10\/2017\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-11177\" srcset=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/home-and-garden-ipm\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2021\/01\/Droneflies-Syrphid-flies-101017-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/home-and-garden-ipm\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2021\/01\/Droneflies-Syrphid-flies-101017-32x32.jpg 32w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-11177'>\n\t\t\t\tA cluster of Common Drone Flies feeding on pollen of narrow-leaved goldenrod flowers at Schoodic Point in Acadia National Park; 10\/10\/2017\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/home-and-garden-ipm\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2025\/08\/Eastern-Calligrapher-Toxomerus-geminatus-071225-JFD.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/home-and-garden-ipm\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2025\/08\/Eastern-Calligrapher-Toxomerus-geminatus-071225-JFD-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"an Eastern Calligrapher syrphid fly (Toxomerus geminatus) on an aster flower (their larvae feed on a variety of aphids and mites) (Old Town, ME; 7\/12\/2025)\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-15716\" srcset=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/home-and-garden-ipm\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2025\/08\/Eastern-Calligrapher-Toxomerus-geminatus-071225-JFD-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/home-and-garden-ipm\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2025\/08\/Eastern-Calligrapher-Toxomerus-geminatus-071225-JFD-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/home-and-garden-ipm\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2025\/08\/Eastern-Calligrapher-Toxomerus-geminatus-071225-JFD-400x400.jpg 400w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/home-and-garden-ipm\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2025\/08\/Eastern-Calligrapher-Toxomerus-geminatus-071225-JFD-600x600.jpg 600w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/home-and-garden-ipm\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2025\/08\/Eastern-Calligrapher-Toxomerus-geminatus-071225-JFD-32x32.jpg 32w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-15716'>\n\t\t\t\tEastern Calligrapher (<i>Toxomerus geminatus<\/i>) (their larvae feed on a variety of aphids and mites) (Old Town, ME; 7\/12\/2025)\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/home-and-garden-ipm\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2019\/03\/Toxomerus-marginatus-Syrphidae-070708.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"136\" src=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/home-and-garden-ipm\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2019\/03\/Toxomerus-marginatus-Syrphidae-070708-e1649858065166-150x136.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Photo of a Margined Calligrapher syrphid fly (Toxomerus marginatus) feeding on pollen and\/or nectar from a hop clover flower7\/7\/2008 (their larvae feed on aphids, thrips, and small caterpillars)\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-8605\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-8605'>\n\t\t\t\tMargined Calligrapher (<i>Toxomerus marginatus<\/i>) feeding on pollen and\/or nectar from a hop clover flower; 7\/7\/2008 (their larvae feed on aphids, thrips, and small caterpillars)\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/home-and-garden-ipm\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2010\/11\/SyrphidFly-04.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/home-and-garden-ipm\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2010\/11\/SyrphidFly-04-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"a Margined Calligrapher syrphid fly (Toxomerus marginatus)\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-688\" srcset=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/home-and-garden-ipm\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2010\/11\/SyrphidFly-04-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/home-and-garden-ipm\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2010\/11\/SyrphidFly-04-32x32.jpg 32w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-688'>\n\t\t\t\tMargined Calligrapher (<i>Toxomerus marginatus<\/i>)\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/home-and-garden-ipm\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2010\/11\/SyrphidFly.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/home-and-garden-ipm\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2010\/11\/SyrphidFly-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Transverse-banded Flower Fly (Eristalis transversa) (example of a species that mimics bee\/yellowjacket patterning)\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-685\" srcset=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/home-and-garden-ipm\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2010\/11\/SyrphidFly-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/home-and-garden-ipm\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2010\/11\/SyrphidFly-32x32.jpg 32w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-685'>\n\t\t\t\tTransverse-banded Flower Fly (<i>Eristalis transversa<\/i>) (another example of a species that mimics bee\/yellowjacket patterning)\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/home-and-garden-ipm\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2013\/08\/Syrphid-Fly-Dana-Wilde-from-Unity-mid-July-2013.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"130\" src=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/home-and-garden-ipm\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2013\/08\/Syrphid-Fly-Dana-Wilde-from-Unity-mid-July-2013-e1647631689781-150x130.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"a Tufted Globetail syrphid fly (Sphaerophoria contigua) (Photo courtesy of Dana Wilde from Unity, ME) (mid July, 2013)\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-4437\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-4437'>\n\t\t\t\tTufted Globetail (<i>Sphaerophoria contigua<\/i>) (Photo courtesy of Dana Wilde from Unity, ME) (mid July, 2013)\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/home-and-garden-ipm\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2021\/01\/SyrphidFly-JFD.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/home-and-garden-ipm\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2021\/01\/SyrphidFly-JFD-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Virginia Giant Hover Fly, also called a Yellowjacket Hover Fly (Milesia virginiensis) (a good yellowjacket mimic; feeding on Queen Anne&#039;s Lace pollen)\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-11179\" srcset=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/home-and-garden-ipm\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2021\/01\/SyrphidFly-JFD-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/home-and-garden-ipm\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2021\/01\/SyrphidFly-JFD-32x32.jpg 32w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-11179'>\n\t\t\t\tVirginia Giant Hover Fly \/ Yellowjacket Hover Fly (<i>Milesia virginiensis<\/i>) (a good yellowjacket mimic; feeding on Queen Anne&#8217;s Lace pollen)\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl>\n\t\t\t<br style='clear: both' \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Additional Information:<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/treefruit.wsu.edu\/crop-protection\/opm\/syrphid-flies-hover-flies-flower-flies\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><b>Syrphid Flies\/Flower Flies\/Hover Flies<\/b><\/a> (Washington State University)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/bugguide.net\/node\/view\/7183\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Drone Flies<\/strong><\/a> (BugGuide.net)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Syrphid flies (Family Syrphidae) are also known as flower flies or hover flies because they visit flowers to feed on nectar and pollen, often hovering in place while doing so.\u00a0 The adult flies are not predaceous, but many species of syrphid fly larvae are, preying on plant-sucking insects such as aphids, scale insects and thrips.\u00a0 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":60,"featured_media":0,"parent":1561,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-8602","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Syrphid Flies (Flower\/Hover Flies) - Home and Garden IPM from Cooperative Extension - University of Maine Cooperative Extension<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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