Wasp fly like a wasp

The hoverfly fly is a two-winged insect that looks like a bee or a wasp, but differs from them in a smaller number of wings. Where such an insect lives, its differences from predators, nutrition and reproduction are all information and interesting facts that will be of interest to nature lovers and gardeners.

A fly like a wasp

Hoverflies (lat. Syrphidae) are often found in vegetable gardens and summer cottages, where they actively pollinate flowers in vegetable and fruit crops.

On a note!

They are called gurgles, due to sounds produced during the flight, similar to the sound of running water.

They are widely distributed and are found on all continents with positive air temperatures. According to the biological classification, scientists refer them to the order of short-lived and the family of Diptera.

Sirfids use a remarkable ability to mimicry, having an appearance very similar to the stinging insects of bees and wasps, having the same yellow and black striped belly, as seen in the photo of the hoverfly flies, thus saving themselves from the attack of birds and predators. Hoverflies are virtuosos in the “flight” business: their ability to hover or patrol in one place, and then break loose and fly away, is their distinguishing feature. It is due to the unique structure of the wings: one pair is normal, and the second is reduced over time into halters, which have the form of a mace, which helps the insect to maintain balance and control the stop in flight.

The males of the ospous fly have their own territory, which they vigilantly guard, periodically hovering in space. Even mating with females takes place in flight.

Superficially, hoverfly resemble bees or wasps: they have an elongated body with a yellow belly and black stripes,some species are black torso with yellow spots.

On a note!

Due to the similarity of the squirrels with stinging insects, many are interested in the question of whether they bite. The answer may be information about the absence of not only the sting, but also the poisonous glands. Therefore, they are absolutely harmless to humans.

Fly hoverfly

Types of hops

Such striped flies There are many varieties: in the world - up to 60 thousand, in Russia their number is 800. All types of hops are distinguished by different arrangement of yellowish and black stripes, as well as the diet of their larvae: some are herbivorous, others are predators, and others tree bark.

The most common ones are:

• Ordinary hoverfly or flower fly with yellow stripes, its length reaches 12 mm, a good pollinator, the larvae of which destroy garden pests;
• Onion hover (Delia antique) - its size is about 1 cm, the larvae feed on juice and pulp of bulbous plants;
• Wasp (Temnostoma vespiform) - a fly resembling a wasp in coloring and body shape, up to 18 mm in size, its larvae consume rotten wood;
• The bee-eyed tenacious (Eristalis tenax) - a bee-like fly, has a length of 15 mm, the color is darker;
• Water hoverfly or eristalia fly (Eristalis) - lives near standing water bodies, swamps or puddles with stale water, has a special trunk for breathing to consume air from the surface;
• Bundling wasp hover (fasciolatum).

Nutrition and life cycle

The life cycle of fly-sirfidy

Along with bees and bumblebees, syrphid flies are pollinators and feed on nectar and pollen, which is collected from plants and flowers. Sugar consumed from such food gives them the necessary energy, and pollen is needed in the form of protein for egg maturation and reproduction. They give preference to umbrella and hard-to-color plants, fly in the meadows, visiting dandelions and other flowers, also among fruit bushes and trees.

The first appearance of adult flies occurs at the end of spring, mating usually occurs only in July, however, active years will continue until the first half of August.

Adult females, like a bee, when looking for eggs, are looking for places where there will be rich food for the future offspring, such as a clump of aphids or small spider mites. Hoverfly larvae appear after 3-4 days, their length is usually about 1 cm, looks like maggots.They barely move, but they actively eat up aphids, their daily ration is up to 200 individuals, due to which they gradually grow.

Interesting!

During its development, each larva is able to absorb up to 2 thousand small insect pests, thanks to which it is a predator, which is beneficial for garden plants. However, some species of flies there are vegetable tastes. Onion hover, for example, eats green onions, because of what refers to pests.

Gradually grown larva forms in puparia - a shell, similar to a drop of resin, inside which an insect matures. An adult individual flies out of the cocoon, after 12-14 days, after 1-2 hours, it spreads its wings and is able to fly.

On a note!

During the season, one female hoverfly lays about 200 eggs of white color, attaching them to the grass or plant stems, less often - directly to the soil. Then generations are replaced.

Onion hover: how to get rid

Onion hover

Of all the varieties of sirfid, onion refers to the pests of garden plants. Its larvae consume the pulp of vegetable and flower crops: onions and garlic, tulips and gladioli, hyacinths and narcissus.Damaged plants usually rot and die.

Important!

Hoverfly - an insect similar to onion flyHowever, the latter is distinguished by a smaller size (up to 8 mm) and gray color of the calf. The time of its activity falls on the end of spring - the beginning of summer, i.e., earlier syrphids.

Therefore, all bulbous plantings should be carefully examined for the presence of pests and special measures should be taken. for getting rid of flies:

1. Damaged plants are immediately removed from the ground and burned.
2. To treat the beds with insecticidal preparations Aktara, Decis, Agita: and etc.
3. Annually make a change of place of planting such flower crops.
4. Plant carrots in the beds, because its smell is capable of scaring off onion hops and flies.
5. Treat beds with ammonia according to the same recipe as onion flies.
6. It is good to loosen and mulch the soil in order to prevent its compaction, - such a measure allows to prevent the appearance of syrphids.
7. For the prevention of the appearance of female onion hops, it is recommended to treat the planting with tobacco powder, ash, red pepper or mothballs.
8. After harvesting the beds with onions or garlic, it is recommended to treat the soil with copper sulphate.

However, most species of wobblers are beneficial insectsby helping to pollinate flowers and fruit crops in areas where there are few bees, and by eating large quantities of small pests. Because they are considered to be assistants of gardeners and flower growers, increasing the productivity of plants.