4. Hoverflies, like other flies, have a single pair of wings, whereas most other flying insects have two pairs.They also move differently to other insects, zigzagging and hovering around plants and crops which they’re attracted to.
5.The eyes of male hoverflies will meet in the middle of the head. If there’s a gap, it’s a female.There are also behavioural differences: some male hoverflies will defend a patch of sunlight, claiming it as their territory and waiting for passing females. 6. Just like a butterfly or moth, hoverflies have a four-stage life cycle.Their eggs look like tiny grains of rice and their larvae are maggot-like with no obvious legs or head.The pupa is hidden in a sheltering skin which, in some species, resembles a tiny pear. 7.When birds migrate, it’s a two-way trip. Insect migrations are generational journeys.An adult hoverfly may fly to the UK to lay eggs, and its offspring could then head south to Europe. Research shows that every year 17 million insects heading south pass through a single 30-metre gap in the Pyrenees, many of them pollinating flies.
8.Without hoverflies and other pollinators, biodiversity would decrease, our flowers would be at risk and our gardens would be less productive.We’d have fewer berries, seeds and fruits such as apples and strawberries.
9. Hoverflies also provide food for birds and many help break down organic matter in our gardens.
10.A UK Government report states that the overall distribution of hoverflies has declined by 44% between 1980 and 2022. In 2022 the International Union for the Conservation of Nature added 37% of European hoverfly species to its Red List, a list of species threatened with extinction.
Homespun projects to attract hoverflies
Experts from the two charities have designed a series of step-by-step projects anyone can do to create havens for hoverflies in gardens or outdoor spaces.These include:
Pollinator plant boxes: Ideal for small-space gardens or balconies, these can be packed with flowering plants to suit the season, creating a buffet for visiting hoverflies.
Hoverfly lagoons:These are pools of shallow water where fallen leaves form an ideal breeding ground for many of the hoverfly species which have aquatic larvae.
Larvae nurseries: Log piles and shrubs can make perfect homes for hoverfly larvae.
For project guides and a hoverfly spotter sheet, visit wildaboutgardens.org.uk.
Photo: hornet mimic hoverfly.
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