![]() Further, some species of hover flies can control garden pests such as soft-bodied aphids and scale insects. Management is usually not necessary and hover flies are beneficial insects They are considered the second most important pollinator next to bees (Figure 2). Hover flies may also have a typical fly's head with short antennae and bulbous eyes (Figures 1 and 2). Other identifying features of the tiny black wasp-like bees are their tubular antennae and lack of scopathe pollen-carrying hairs on their hind legs. As their name suggests, they can remain in one spot, but also dart to and fro. The small yellow and black bees, with their unique yellow mask-like faces, measure 0.19 to 0.27 (5 7 mm) long. They have mouth hooks which grip and pierce the skin of their prey prior to extracting their body contents (Figure 4).ĭuring flight, many hover flies move in a characteristic way. The immature hover fly looks like a maggot and can grow up to 10 mm long. ![]() As their name suggests, they hover over objects but will also dart to and fro. Hover flies also have a typical fly head with short antennae and bulbous eyes (Figures 1 and 3).Īdult hover flies are 4-10 mm long and have dark flattened bodies with black and yellow markings.ĭuring flight, many hover flies move in a characteristic way. In comparison, bees and wasps have two pairs of wings. Hover flies belong to the order Diptera and the family Syrphidae.Īs can be seen in Figures 1, 2 and 3, hover flies, like all true flies, only have one pair of wings. Hover flies can be readily distinguished from wasps and bees by their single pair of wings. They are often mistaken for bees or wasps and can cause undue fear over possible stings.įortunately, they do not possess stingers. They will roll onto their back with their stinger in the air as a warning before stinging.Hover flies, often referred to as flower flies or drone flies, ies are beneficial insects that appear in large numbers during the spring and summer. They are often mistaken for tiny wasps, because yellow-faced bees are hairless and black. The American bumble bee can sting several times in row if needed, as it retains its stinger. Yellow-faced bees are easy to overlook - theyre small and slender. But they have a stinger that is unlike some other bees. They also do not process the pollen into honey.īumble bees are not typically aggressive toward people. Unlike the honeybees, bumble bees don't store more than just a few days worth of food. When the bees are foraging, they can travel a mile or two from their colony looking for flowers. The pollen that does not fall off onto other plants will be eaten. A bee will collect pollen from a plant on tiny fibers on his legs. This pollination process is a byproduct of how the bees feed themselves. ![]() It is doing its part to pollinate our flowers and plants. The buzzing sound you hear as you relax outdoors this summer might be an American bumblebee hard at work. A closer look at the bumblebee reveals they are covered with tiny hairs. These flying insects are yellow and black, and can have one to three yellow stripes on their abdomen. Scientifically called Bombus pensylvanicus, the American bumble bee is among the larger bee species in North America. These little guys work tirelessly day-in and day-out to make our plants grow, flowers bloom, and fruit trees produce. One of the hardest working tiny creatures on the planet can be found right in our backyards. ![]()
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