HOVERFLY

 

A hoverfly is a grand beneficial, in that both the adults and larvae are beneficials. The adult hoverfly is the second largest crop pollinator. You can see them hovering over flowers. You may even mistakenly think they are bees. The larvae are small brown or green maggots that scour the undersides of plant leaves for aphids and eat them as their main food source.

 

How do I attract hoverflies?

 

Plant flowers and flowering shrubs, including sweet alyssum, bachelor buttons and most herbs.

 

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Factoids

 

Hoverflies are skilled mimics. Even though they are flies, they look like bees or wasps to frighten off predators.