Hover+Flies

Diptera: Syrphidae

Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Diptera Family: Syrphidae

Life Cycle: Hoverflies undergo complete metamorphous, starting as eggs, the larvae, pupa, and finally adult flies. Females lay eggs very particularly with an ovipositor so that the larvae will be able to find food upon hatching. The eggs hatch 2-4 days after being laid. Some species only lay eggs on specific plants because the larvae only feed on a certain species of plant. Hoverfly larvae lack legs and a head capsule. They have two posterior breathing tubes, a unique trait to hoverfly larvae. A lot of hoverfly larvae feed primarily on aphids, this trait makes them a favorable biological control agent for gardeners (Ball & Morris, 2013). The hoverfly larvae go through several instars throughout development toward the pupa stage. The pupa forms under the skin of the last larval instar. This often occurs in the same habitat the eggs were laid and can take as long as one week to several months before reaching the adult stage. The adult hoverflies first disperse; some go as far as to migrate across oceans. The adult fly’s next objective is to mate and carefully lay eggs.

Mating Behavior: Males are the sex to put on a display or invest energy in mating behavior. The males employ a few different strategies. Often the males will hover in groups or solitarily. The species that hover in groups are sometimes sought after by females, but in most other species the males chase females that fly by or actively seek them.Some species hover in a ray of light cast between leaves. This behavior could be to remain warm or to use the light to attract the attention of females (Gilbert, 1986). Much about the mating behavior of hoverflies is still unknown.

Feeding: Newly emerged adult flies primarily feed on pollen for their high amino acid and protein content. They need the protein and amino acid to fully develop their reproductive systems. Females continue to feed on pollen through their adult life in order to sustain egg production. As the reproductive systems mature, nectar becomes the main food source to support the energy needs of flight. Larger species of hoverflies feed on nectar more primarily to support metabolic demands and have thus developed special mouth parts for nectar feeding. Some species specialize feeding on certain flower species while other hoverfly species are general feeders.

Mimicry:

Hoverflies often imitate the coloration patterns of wasps and bees, displaying Batesian mimicry (Ball & Morris, 2013). The similar color patterns help the hoverflies avoid predation by making predators believe they are harmful stinging insects. =References= Ball, S., & Morris, R. (2013). //Britain's Hoverflies: an Introduction to the Hoverflies of Britain.// Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Gilbert, F. S. (1986). //Hoverflies.// Cambridge: Cambridge university Press.