!!!

Hoverfly

Hoverfly or Flower Fly

Toxomerus marginatus

This Flower Fly, Syrphid Fly or Hoverfly (whew names!) was found at the Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh, NC. It wasn’t until I uploaded the photo and got a better look that I realized it was a fly, and not a bee!  From there the color patterns on its abdomen helped me attempt to make an identification though there are 200+ genera of hoverfly. 

Hoverflies, despite their clever mimicry, do not sting – they use their wasp-like looks to deter other predators. They are completely harmless to humans. But not at all harmless to other insects. These flower flies are actually considered beneficial insects because their larvae are so adept at munching the heck out of other garden pests like thrips, aphids & small caterpillars. Recap: looks awesome, does not sting, excellent at pest control/insectivores. W00t!

Syrphid flies are incredibly abundant, being found on every continent except Antarctica. The species above is plentiful over most of the US and southern Canada. The adults eat nectar and pollen and are often seem hovering near flowers on shrubs or other herbaceous plants. Gardeners often like to encourage them to visit their plants and control other pests by planting host plants such as chamomile, parsley, yarrow, buckwheat, alyssum, etc.