How To Get Rid Of Hover Flies: 9 Easy Ways

Are hoverflies buzzing around your garden making you nervous? Don’t worry; here are nine easy ways to get rid of hover flies in your garden.

If you want to get rid of aphids without using any insecticides, hoverflies are one of your best bets.

The larvae of these insects are the mortal enemies of aphids and other garden pests.

But many species in this genera look similar to sweat bees, which gives them a lot of hate from people.

In this article, we will help you identify hoverflies from sweat bees and also tell you how to get rid of them if you really need to.

What Are Hoverflies?

Hoverflies belong to the insect family Syrphidae. These insects are commonly known as syrphid flies or flower flies. There are around 6,000 species of these insects in the family.

The first name comes from their habit of hovering around flowers (whose nectar and pollen their adults feed on).

They have long abdomens with yellow and black stripes, which give them a bee-like appearance.

However, you can easily identify them by the short antennae on their heads.

While we do enjoy and use the products recommended above, they are affiliate links where ‘What’s That Bug’ may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. This helps to financial support this website from hosting to expert entomologists and writers who identify your bug requests and create the content you love.

A healthy adult hoverfly can show an average growth of 1/4-3/4 inches depending on the nutrition they receive as a larva.

You can spot these bugs near a garden infested with aphids and weedy borders. They are particularly fond of flowers like wild mustard, coriander, and sweet alyssum.

Hoverfly larvae are one of the biggest predators of the garden pests like aphids and thrips, due to which these flies are categorized as beneficial insects.

Lifespan of Hoverflies

Hoverflies have a short lifespan; adults usually live only up to 12-30 days. However, some species of hoverflies can live longer.

For example, ‘Hammerschmidtia Ferruginea’ can live up to 55 days.

The mating season depends on the availability of nearby flowering plants and pollens for mating.

Usually, the life cycle is longer in winter, and in the summer, the cycle is comparatively shorter.

The female hoverflies can lay around 100 eggs or even more in their entire lifetime.

Types of Hoverflies

Different types of hoverflies are scattered well across the globe.

For example, the American hoverfly is more common in the region of North America.

The Eupeodes Americanus is common in Greenland, Central Florida, and the Mexican highlands.

The common hoverfly, on the other hand, is found mostly in the Australian regions.

Do Hoverflies Sting?

Hoverflies do not possess any stingers, and usually, they don’t pose any threat to mammals.

However, they are highly attracted to sweat beads on human skin. You can often spot the buzzing around you on a sweaty summer afternoon.

Due to this reason, and also their appearance, humans are often very weary of these flies.

Fortunately, they only stick around to lick the water and the salt in our sweat. These creatures are gentle and will not do any harm to humans or pets.

Hoverflies vs. Wasps

As mentioned above, hoverflies have distinct black and yellow lines on their bodies, which is why they often look like wasps and bees.

Because of this, people often run away from these insects.

However, hoverflies do not possess a stinger and will not bite you. The wasp-like appearance is to fool predators and keep them from attacking.

This form of copying the appearance, smell, or behaviors of other organisms is quite common in the insect world. It is termed Batesian mimicry.

The most significant difference between these insects and wasps is the shape of the head.

Hoverflies have spherical heads with no stingers, and wasps have unique heads with stingers attached.

Also, wasps have two pairs of wings, while hoverflies have only one.

Hoverflies vs Sweat Bees

These flies look somewhat similar to sweat bees as well.

But if you notice closely, you will observe a bunch of prominent differences between the two.

For starters, sweat bees have a metallic-colored thorax and head, while hoverflies have clear black and yellow lines on their bodies.

Also, the hoverflies can stay suspended in the air while flying, but the sweat bees cannot.

Most importantly, hoverflies do not possess stingers like bees and are harmless.

Many of our readers who have children are interested in educating them about insects. This book on bees is an excellent resource for introducing kids to these fascinating creatures.

Are Hoverflies Beneficial to Your Garden?

As stated above, hoverfly larvae are one of the prime enemies of aphids. These insects are an excellent tool for natural pesticide control.

Having hoverflies lay eggs in your garden will certainly help get rid of aphids and other pest infestations.

Moreover, the adults are highly active around blooming flowers. They love to feed on pollen and nectar, which is why they are considered excellent pollinators.

Overall, hoverflies are highly beneficial insects to have in your yard. Moreover, they are gentle and not harmful to humans, which makes it even better to have them around.

Despite this, their appearance and Batesian mimicry often make them the subject of much scorn.

How to Get Rid of Hoverflies

Yes, hoverflies are excellent pollinators and great for controlling aphid populations, but having a bunch of these insects buzzing around you can be too much to handle.

While there is no need to kill the hoverflies since they are not harmful, there are other natural ways to get rid of them if you want.

Here are a few tips to keep these flies away from your home and yard.

Wait Them Out

As mentioned earlier, hoverflies do not live for more than a month. If you are sure they are not laying eggs in your garden, it is possible to just wait them out and let them die on their own.

Use a Fan

Investing in a small box fan is a wise move to get rid of these insects. Place the small fan near the garden where these flies usually appear.

The airflow from the fan will not allow these insects to fly near that region.

As a result, they will stop appearing near that particular area. You can also create a fan tunnel to maximize the results.

Make a Fly Repellent

Using natural fly repellents is a great way to drive the hoverflies away from your garden.

Natural repellents are much better than other chemical methods as they are chemical-free.

You can create one by cutting a lemon in half and inserting a clove in it. Once done, place repellent in spots where these flies swarm.

The citrusy smell will repel them.

You can create another natural repellent using apple cider vinegar and water.

Mix the vinegar with two parts water, and add some drops of peppermint oil, basil oil, and dishwashing soap.

Put this solution in a spray bottle, and sprinkle it on fly-infested areas. The pungent and strong smell will drive them away.

Remove Flowering Plants with Nectar and Pollen

Hoverflies are attracted to flowering plants as they provide prime spots for mating and pollen consumption.

If your garden is overly crowded with such plants, hoverflies will pay a regular visit.

Eliminate the extra ones from the garden to avoid overcrowding these insects in your garden.

If you do not want to get rid of the flowers from the garden, consider adding plants like lavender, basil, and mint near these flowers to repel the hoverflies.

Use a Fly Trap

If the natural remedies are not working, it is time to build a fly trap at home. You can make one using a simple fly tape.

A fly tape contains a fragrant piece of paper that attracts the flies to fall in a glue spread.

Once they land, the glue traps them. Hang this tape near hoverfly-infested areas to get the best results.

Keep Your Garden Free of Pests

As mentioned above, hoverflies are one of the biggest enemies of aphids.

These insects are attracted to aphid-infested areas.

Therefore, to avoid hoverflies, you must ensure your garden is safe from garden pests like aphids and other soft-bodied insects.

Build a DIY Hoverfly Trap

You can also make a sugar water trap by dissolving three teaspoons of sugar into the water.

Put this mixture in a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap with a few holes across it. The flies will get attracted to the sugar solution and will try to get to the solution.

Once they reach the solution, the plastic cover will prevent them from coming out.

You can do the same using a mixture of vinegar and dishwashing liquid. Start by taking a bowl of vinegar and adding a few drops of dishwashing liquid.

Add the same plastic cover with holes, and you will get the same results.

Invest in a Bug Zapper

If you desperately want to get rid of these flies and none of the methods mentioned above are showing promising results, it is time to take drastic measures.

Go to a local supermarket and buy a bug zapper. These devices are great for killing and eliminating insects like hoverflies.

Place them near spots where the flies generally swarm. The device will emit a UV light that will lure the flies into falling on it.

As soon they land on the coils on the zapper, they will get electrocuted.

Be careful with the size of the zapper; do not purchase a very big one if the problem is not very big.

You might end up killing other beneficial flying insects in your garden, like lacewings.

Spray Insecticide

As long as the natural ways are working, avoid using insecticides and other chemicals. These substances are not good for plants and soil fertility.

However, optimally using them will help you get rid of flies, aphids, and mealybugs.

Conduct thorough research before buying insecticide. This substance contains toxic elements that can be extremely harmful to kids and pets.

You can also talk to experts before going to a pet store and buying one for your garden.

Frequently Asked Questions

Wrap Up

Hoverflies are extremely beneficial insects due to their pest-eliminating and pollinating abilities.

However, it is easy to wrongly identify them as wasps and bees.

We hope this article helped you to identify these insects better. Remember, they are entirely harmless, and there is no need to be scared of them.

If you still want to get rid of hoverflies in your garden, we have shown you several things that can be done without killing them off. Thank you for reading!