Tapered Drone Fly

Eristalis pertinax

The Tapered Drone Fly is a friendly insect that looks like a bee but is not one! It has a long, slender body and loves to visit flowers to sip sweet nectar.

Hábitat: Urban areas

Aspecto

The Tapered Drone Fly has a black body with distinctive yellow bands on its abdomen and a fuzzy, bee-like appearance. Its wings have noticeable dark markings, particularly a dark patch near the tip. It also possesses short, dark antennae.

ReinoAnimaliaFiloArthropodaClaseInsectaOrdenDipteraFamiliaSyrphidaeGéneroEristalis

Tapered Drone Fly

Categoría

Insectos

Rareza

Common

Peligro

1/5 · Muy bajo

Snaps

¡Sé la primera persona en hacer un snap!

Datos interesantes

Despite looking like a bee, they are completely harmless and cannot sting you at all.

Scientists study how they fly to invent better robotic drones and aircraft.

Their babies, called rat-tailed maggots, live underwater with a snorkel-like tail!

They can even fly backwards and sideways, showing amazing aerial control!

Habilidades especiales

Tapered Drone Fly can hover perfectly still and fly backward because of its powerful wing muscles that help them find flowers.

Tapered Drone Fly larvae have a long 'snorkel' tail that helps them breathe air while living underwater in murky puddles.

Tapered Drone Fly has fuzzy bodies that help them accidentally transfer pollen between flowers as they drink nectar.

Medidas y detalles

Envergadura: 18-28 mm
Tamaño: 10-14 mm
Esperanza de vida: 15-30 días
Velocidad de vuelo: 20 km/h
Cantidad de patas: 6

Dieta y alimentación

Adults sip nectar and pollen from flowers; larvae filter decaying matter from water.

Diferencias por edad: Larvae are detritivores, filter-feeding on decaying organic matter in stagnant water; adults are herbivores, feeding on nectar and pollen.

Alimentos principales

nectar
pollen
decaying organic matter
algae

Método de búsqueda

Foraging

Conexiones ecológicas

eaten by

House Sparrow

Passer domesticus

Birds often prey on adult drone flies.

pollinates

Dandelion

Taraxacum officinale

Adults gather nectar and pollen from common garden flowers.

eaten by

Common Frog

Rana temporaria

Frogs are opportunistic predators of various insects.

depends on

European Honey Bee

Apis mellifera

Its bee-like appearance deters predators, benefiting from bees' reputation.

Rasgos

Peludo

Peludo describe a los animales que poseen una cubierta densa de pelo o pelaje suave.

Social

Los animales sociales viven en grupos organizados, cooperando para obtener beneficios de supervivencia como la búsqueda de alimento, la defensa y la cría de descendencia.

Herbívoro

Este rasgo caracteriza a los organismos cuya dieta consiste total o principalmente en material vegetal.

Imán para polinizadores

Describe plantas que son particularmente atractivas y beneficiosas para una amplia variedad de organismos polinizadores.

Diurno

Los animales diurnos están activos principalmente durante el día y suelen descansar o dormir por la noche.

Adaptado a la ciudad

Esta característica de hábitat indica especies que pueden coexistir con los humanos en entornos urbanos y suburbanos, utilizando estructuras artificiales y espacios verdes.