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News: Concern is growing over declining pollinator populations worldwide, bringing attention to the ecological importance of non-bee pollinators such as hoverflies.
About Hoverflies
- Hoverflies are a diverse group and not a single insect type.
- They belong to the Syrphidae family of Diptera, which includes more than 6,000 species across 377 genera worldwide.
- Different hoverfly species perform different ecological roles such as pollination, pest control, and waste recycling.
- Distribution: Hoverflies are found across the globe with over 6,000 species, thriving everywhere except in extreme tundra and desert climates.
- Key Characteristics
- Appearance: They have large globular eyes, short stubby antennae, and a rounder lower body that gives them a distinct shape.
- Mimicry: They show Batesian mimicry (where harmless insects imitate harmful ones for protection) by resembling bees or wasps in colour, body shape, and buzzing sound.
- Hovering is a signature behaviour of these flies and is linked to food searching, with males and females showing different flight patterns.
- They thrive in meadows, peatlands, farms, forests, and densely populated urban areas, showing high adaptability.
- Harmlessness: Hoverflies are harmless insects and do not possess stingers.
- Ecological Roles
- Second-Line Pollinators: Hoverflies support pollination of 551 plant species and contribute significantly after wild bees.
- Biological Control: Their larvae feed on pests like aphids and can remove 70–100% of pest populations.
- Waste Recycling: Some larvae live in stagnant water and organic waste, breaking down matter and recycling nutrients.
