My what big eyes you have!
There are about 6,000 hoverfly species around the world.
Some have the coloring of a bee or wasp which aids in warding off predators.
But, unlike the bee and wasp, they only have two wings (not four) and their huge compound eyes take up nearly their whole head.
However, it is their ability to hover, suspended in midair, that truly sets them apart.
Hoverflies are beneficial insects in the garden since they are great pollinators and their larvae feed on aphids and other pests.
And they are great entertainment for someone who marvels at all that nature has to offer.
Garden blessings,
13 comments:
I love your beautiful photos and flowers that you have shared. It was just what my soul needed after 12 days of being in arctic temps (and everything under the sun going wrong from it)!
thanks for sharing the sunshine and Happy 2018!
Hi Tammy, that is very fascinating about the hoverfly. I get so busy in my little world I forget to notice all the amazing things that surround me. Lesson for today, slow down and pay attention! Hope you are having a good beginning to 2018. Lisa
Those are really incredible photos, Tammy. Great job. The hoverfly is quite a unique fellow! Hope you are doing well. Susan
Thanks for the nature lesson! I did not know that! I enjoyed seeing the sunflower in your photos. Enjoy your moderate weather!! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)
Hi Tammy,very nice photos. Nature is marvelous, it is not impossible to be amazed if we think about the benefits of this tiny bee, everything connected in chains..
"All the better to see you with, my dear".....a famous line..haha. Lovely photos and so up close and personal.
GREAT shots, Tammy! That's a LOT of eyes! We share the bond of "easily amused". LOL! blessings ~ tanna
Beautiful information and photos! :)
I have never even heard of them before! Amazing! Especially with 2 wings as their bodies look pretty hefty. Thank you for sharing as I learned something and I don't like a day to go by without learning something! Great photos too!
Tammy - I am sure that I have seen these and just assumed they were bees .... the fourth shot is especially amazing. I appreciate the color and sun in these shots, too. It is gray and rainy here this morning ....
I love that you think everything is incredible and worth knowing about.
Dearest Tammy,
What a happy post this is!
Love those big eyed Syrphidae and they feed on pollen and nectar and indeed, their larvae feed on aphids and other pests!
Great captures of their eyes and hovering!
Hugs,
Mariette
I don't know if I've ever seen a hoverfly, though I've heard of them. Now I feel equipped to identify them, and I'll probably discover them everywhere! Thank you for teaching me something new and useful today, Tammy :)
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