Flower flies love the nectar in flowers. They are important pollinators, second only to bees.
They are also called hover flies because they hover like hummingbirds, but they do have to land to feed.
Flower flies are in the order of Diptera, family Syrphidae. They can be brightly colored and patterned. They can be as tiny as ⅛ of an inch or bulkier, hairier and close to an inch long.
Most flower flies are beneficial both as adults and larvae. Like sweat bees, they may hang around you. However, they have no stinger. They only have 2 wings and big eyes like other kinds of flies.
Their flight patterns tend to be more like butterflies than the dipping, darting pattern of bees and wasps.
Flower flies tend to feed on a greater variety of plants than most bees and travel further from their home range than bees. They prefer white or yellow open, flatter flowers such as yarrow, fennel, sweet alyssum, cosmos, dill, marigolds, black-eyed Susans, Queen Anne’s lace, chives, asters, and other similar species.
While feeding, they also incidentally pick up pollen but do not use it to feed their babies. These characteristics are important benefits in pollination success.
Many flower fly larvae are very important predators. The adult females often chose to lay their eggs right near places where pests such as aphids are feeding.
The larvae also feed on other soft bodied insects such as thrips, scale, caterpillars, and mealy bugs. Some species instead feed on decaying matter, therefore helping as decomposers.
There can be 5 to 7 generations in a season.
Most pupate in the soil and overwinter as pupae.
If flower flies are bothering, you avoid wearing bright colors that attract them. Also avoid wearing flowery fragrances. A fan can keep them away. Locate plants that attract them further from decks, porches and high traffic areas such as in containers or directly growing in the ground.
More info about biocontrol by flower flies (hover flies) can be found at https://cals.cornell.edu/integrated-pest-management/outreach-education/fact-sheets/hover-fly-biocontrol-fact-sheet.
Cornell Cooperative Extension Oneida County answers home and garden questions which can be emailed to homeandgarden@cornell.edu or call 315-736-3394, ext. 333. Leave your question, name, and phone number. Questions are answered on weekdays, 8am to 4pm. Also, visit our website at http://cceoneida.com/ or phone 315-736-3394, press 1 and then ext.100.
This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Taking a look at fruit flies
Reporting by Patricia Miller,, Observer-Dispatch / Observer-Dispatch
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Patricia Miller,, Observer-Dispatch | USA TODAY Network
