Black-Footed Drone Fly
ExploreInsects
Black-Footed Drone Fly
eristalis hirta
The Black-Footed Drone Fly is a fascinating insect that looks like a tiny bee! Kids will love watching it buzz around flowers, helping to pollinate them.
Habitat: Gardens, parks, and near bodies of water.
Appearance
The Black-Footed Drone Fly is a plump, hairy insect strikingly similar to a bumblebee, with a body often banded in black and yellow or orange. Its defining characteristic is its dark, almost entirely black, legs, distinguishing it from many other hoverflies. It has large eyes and a single pair of clear wings.
KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassInsectaOrderDipteraFamilySyrphidaeGenusEristalis
Category
InsectsRarity
Common
Danger
0/5 · No known danger
Snaps
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Interesting facts
Adult drone flies can taste sweet nectar with their feet before even landing.
Their 'rat-tailed maggot' larvae breathe underwater using a snorkel-like tail!
These flies use their huge compound eyes to see almost all the way around them.
Though they look like bees, drone flies cannot sting – they are totally harmless!
Special abilities
Ability
Clever Disguise
Black-Footed Drone Fly can look exactly like a bee or wasp because of its body shape and colors, which helps them scare away predators.
Ability
Mid-Air Maestro
Black-Footed Drone Fly can hover perfectly still in the air because of its powerful flight muscles, which helps them feed on flowers.
Ability
Pollination Power
Black-Footed Drone Fly has fuzzy bodies that pick up pollen easily, which helps them spread pollen between flowers as they feed.
Ability
Watery Wrigglers
Black-Footed Drone Fly larvae can live in stagnant, murky water because they have a long breathing tube, which helps them survive where others can't.
Measurements & details
- Wingspan
- 15-25 mm
- Size
- 7-12 mm
- Lifespan
- 14-28 days
- Flight Speed
- 8 km/h
- Leg Count
- 6
Diet & Feeding
Adult drone flies sip sweet nectar from flowers, while their larvae are amazing nature's clean-up crew!
Age differences: Larvae (rat-tailed maggots) consume decaying organic matter, bacteria, and algae in water. Adults feed on nectar and pollen from flowers.
Primary Foods
- nectar
- pollen
- decaying organic matter
- bacteria
- algae
Foraging Method
- Foraging
Ecological connections
pollinates
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Dandelion
Taraxacum officinale
helps spread pollen for
eaten by
House Sparrow
Passer domesticus
provides a food source for
eaten by
Flower Crab Spider
Misumena vatia
gets ambushed by
pollinates
Goat Willow
Salix caprea
visits early spring catkins for
Traits
Social
Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring.
Colorful
Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
Herbivorous
This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
Diurnal
Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.
Pollinator
Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants.
Also known as
No aliases listed yet.
Collections
Safety
Danger
0/5 · No known danger
No special safety notes yet.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Black-Footed Drone Fly's wingspan?
15-25 mm
How big is Black-Footed Drone Fly?
7-12 mm
How long does Black-Footed Drone Fly live?
14-28 days
How fast can Black-Footed Drone Fly fly?
8 km/h
What does Black-Footed Drone Fly eat?
Adult drone flies sip sweet nectar from flowers, while their larvae are amazing nature's clean-up crew!
Where is Black-Footed Drone Fly usually found?
Gardens, parks, and near bodies of water.
How does Black-Footed Drone Fly hunt?
Foraging
How many legs does Black-Footed Drone Fly have?
6
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