Family Syrphidae – Hoverflies

283 Uk species, 68 genera. These often colourful flies are sometimes mistaken for bees or wasps, which some of them cleverly mimic. Yet these are the friendly flies, not only because they are excellent pollinators, but because some species have larvae that feed on pests like aphids. Other species of larvae live in the nests of social wasps and bees, and also ants, feeding on detritus and sometimes the host’s larvae itself, whilst other species are aquatic and live underwater in pools or ponds.

Species have been arranged in their tribes below. There are 13 tribes in total on the British list.

Tribe Bacchini