Thick-Legged Hover Fly

syritta pipiens

The Thick-Legged Hover Fly (Syritta pipiens) is a small, energetic, and highly common hoverfly species found globally. Often mistaken for a tiny wasp or bee due to its yellow-and-black coloration, this harmless insect is a fantastic garden helper. It spends its adult life darting between flowers, hovering in place with incredible precision, and feeding on pollen and nectar. Unlike many other hoverflies, it has noticeably swollen hind femora (thighs) lined with tiny spines, which give it its distinctive common name and unique silhouette.

Hábitat: Found in a wide range of open environments, including suburban gardens, urban parks, meadows, and agricultural fields, typically near decaying organic material or flowering plants.

Aspecto

This small fly measures about 7 to 9 millimeters in length with a slender, elongated abdomen marked by orange-yellow spots or bars on a dark background. Its most defining physical trait is the dramatically swollen and thickened hind femur, which features a row of small black spines on the underside. Its face is covered in a silvery-white dust, and it possesses large, dark compound eyes that meet at the top of the head in males. Its wings are clear and lack complex patterning, extending straight along the body when at rest.

ReinoAnimaliaFiloArthropodaClaseInsectaOrdenDipteraFamiliaSyrphidaeGéneroSyritta

Thick-Legged Hover Fly

Categoría

Insectos

Rareza

Common

Peligro

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Snaps

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Datos interesantes

Despite their wasp-like appearance, they have only one pair of wings and are completely incapable of stinging or biting.

Males are highly territorial and will aggressively chase away other insects, including much larger flies, from their sunny backyard perches.

They are among the most globally widespread hoverfly species, having been accidentally introduced to many regions via soil and compost transport.

Habilidades especiales

Using rapid wingbeats of up to 300 times per second, they can hover perfectly motionless in mid-air and instantly change direction.

They possess yellow-and-black abdominal markings resembling stinging wasps, deterring potential predators despite being completely harmless.

The swollen, spiny hind femora allow males to firmly grip females during mating flights, securing their partner in mid-air.

Medidas y detalles

Longitud: 1 cm
Envergadura: 1-2 cm
Peso: 0.00001-0.00003 kg
Top Speed: 15 km/h
Tamaño de la puesta: 50+
Incubación: 2-4 días

Dieta y alimentación

Adults feed on flower nectar and pollen for energy, while the larvae feed on bacteria found within decaying organic matter.

Diferencias por edad: Larvae are saprophagous detritivores feeding on bacteria in wet decomposing material, whereas adults are strictly nectar- and pollen-feeders.

Alimentos principales

Flower nectar
Pollen
Decomposing plant matter
Manure-associated bacteria

Método de búsqueda

Foraging

Conexiones ecológicas

eaten by

Barn Swallow

Hirundo rustica

Adult hover flies are caught in mid-air by insectivorous birds like swallows.

mutualism

Wild Carrot

Daucus carota

Adult flies feed on nectar and pollen, transferring pollen between flowers in the process.

competitor

House Fly

Musca domestica

Larvae compete for decaying organic matter and bacterial food sources in compost and manure piles.

Rasgos

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También conocido como

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Colecciones

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Seguridad

Peligro

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Todavía no hay notas especiales de seguridad.

Preguntas frecuentes

¿Cómo identificar a Thick-Legged Hover Fly?

La forma más fácil de identificar a Thick-Legged Hover Fly es usar la aplicación de identificación de naturaleza Snappit.

¿Cuál es el longitud de Thick-Legged Hover Fly?

1 cm

¿Cuál es el envergadura de Thick-Legged Hover Fly?

1-2 cm

¿Cuál es el peso de Thick-Legged Hover Fly?

0.00001-0.00003 kg

¿Cuál es el top Speed de Thick-Legged Hover Fly?

15 km/h

¿Qué come Thick-Legged Hover Fly?

Adults feed on flower nectar and pollen for energy, while the larvae feed on bacteria found within decaying organic matter.

¿Dónde se encuentra normalmente Thick-Legged Hover Fly?

Found in a wide range of open environments, including suburban gardens, urban parks, meadows, and agricultural fields, typically near decaying organic material or flowering plants.

¿Cómo caza Thick-Legged Hover Fly?

Foraging