If you want to get rid of plant pests like aphids, hoverflies are an excellent natural option. But where do hoverflies live, and can you bring them to your garden? Let’s find out.
Hoverflies are known for their incredible capacity to eliminate garden pests and promote pollination.
Gardeners all over the world want these flies to reside in their gardens to enjoy these perks.
But to be able to attract these insects, you must know the ideal habitat of hoverflies.
Knowing will help you help create a close-to-ideal spot for these insects to live.
This article will give you all the necessary details about the ideal hoverfly habitat.
Where Do Hoverfly Live?
Hover flies are found in almost every corner of the world except for the deserts and the regions of Antarctica.
There are around 6,000 species of hover flies globally.
America is home to a wide range of hoverfly populations. There are 62 different species of hover flies found in America itself.
You can spot these flowerflies in states like Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Kentucky, and more.
Adding to that, around 230 species have been spotted in the southern African region.
Flower flies love to be around flower-abundant spots; these insects rely on their regular flower visits to obtain pollen and nectar to feed themselves.
Since they are frequent visitors to flowers, adult hoverflies are considered excellent pollinators.
The hoverfly larvae, on the other hand, are experts in controlling aphid populations in your garden.
This is why they are considered beneficial insects at all stages of their lives.
What is Their Habitat?
Hoverflies can comfortably exist in a variety of habitats, but the ideal habitat depends on the species and its geographical location.
For example, there are some species of hoverflies whose larvae are aquatic and found in stagnant water sources.
The other species, whose primary food source in the larval stage is aphid colonies, live in open gardens, forests, and bushvelds.
You can find adult flowerflies buzzing a range of plants like:
- Yarrow
- Queen Anne’s lace
- Sweet alyssum
- Buckwheat
- Cornflowers
- Oregano
- Garlic chives
- Bachelor buttons
The larvae can be found in host plants, where they scour the leaves to locate aphids and their eggs. These hoverfly larvae can wipe out big aphid colonies from your garden.
Also, we stated at the start of the section that the ideal habitat for various species of hoverflies depends on the geographical region.
For example, a study conducted in Athens states that wildflower availability and seasonal variations are the prime factors deciding the habitat preference for these insects.
What is The Lifecycle of a Hoverfly?
Hoverflies have a four-staged life cycle: eggs, larvae, pupae, and imago (final stage of reaching maturity).
Adults do not live for long and spend most of their time mating.
These adults love spaces filled with flowers where they can consume pollen, nectar, and decayed plant matter.
The cycle starts when the male and female mate near the flowers. In rare cases, mating occurs in flight as well.
The males track the females and approach them from the back to initiate the process.
During this time, the female sometimes tries to kick the males off her to avoid courtship.
In some cases, they might even try to fly away from the male.
But when the process is finished, they can lay around 100 eggs. These eggs are placed in specific plants which offer a range of food options for the larvae.
The emerging larvae are maggot-like and legless. They are extremely tiny and can only be clearly seen with a 10x magnifying lens.
They inspect every part of the host plants and consume any aphids and their eggs available.
These larvae are fond of the honeydew from aphids, and they can track the aphid colonies from the sweet smell.
After a week of feeding, these larvae start pupating in the soil, and within a few days, they emerge as strong and healthy adults.
There are two cycles of mating and breeding. The length of the cycle depends significantly on the season.
The summer cycle is comparatively shorter than the winter one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do hoverflies nest?
Hoverflies prefer to build their nests in trees or other appealing spots with plenty of food nearby.
The larvae need a good supply of aphids and other soft-bodied insects to be able to grow into strong adults.
Hoverflies are solitary species.
Here the females build individual nests, but during the foraging and migration sessions, you can see them swarming in numbers.
Where do hoverflies lay eggs?
Hoverflies lay eggs in plants with a significant aphid population. Aphids are the primary food source for larvae. They are experts at hunting them down.
Some hoverfly larvae are aquatic. Hence, the females lay eggs near water sources.
Stagnant water sources are the best for these larvae to survive and grow.
Do hoverflies live in nests?
Yes, hoverflies live in nests. They build these nests near decaying logs, abandoned tree holes, and more.
The females are always careful about the availability of food while selecting nest spots.
The larvae need to get enough nutrition during the growth stage to make it out as healthy adults. Aphids are the primary food source for these larvae.
How long does a hoverfly live?
Hoverflies do not live for long as adults. A healthy adult hoverfly can live up to a month.
During this time, they visit various flowers in search of pollens and nectar.
They are also considered excellent pollinators. The larvae take around a week to transition to a pupa. The female can lay up to 100 eggs in her lifetime.
Wrap Up
Yes, hoverflies are highly beneficial insects, but there is more about them that will fascinate you.
The courtship details between the males and females of this species are quite unique.
We hope this article provided more fascinating details about these insects. Thank you for reading the piece.
6 Comments. Leave new
Compare Volucella pellucens
That does look like a good possibility. We will create a link on the posting.
This looks more like a hornet mimic hoverfly (Volucella zonaria). I don’t believe that Volucella inanis has a dark red thorax.
Since we do not have entomology credentials, sometimes we should just be more general in our identifications. Seems at least we have the genus correct.
This is a fly from genus Exoprosopa.
Thanks for the information.