




Megasyrphus laxus
The Black-legged Gossamer is a friendly little fly that loves to buzz around flowers. It has shiny black legs and a soft body, making it look quite special in gardens and parks.
Habitat: Urban areas
The Black-legged Gossamer is a medium-sized fly, often mimicking bees or wasps with its striking black and yellow-banded body. It has distinctive black legs and large, prominent eyes, making it appear sleek and agile. Unlike bees, it has short, stubby antennae.





Category
InsectsRarity
Common
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Snaps
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Even though they look like stinging insects, Black-legged Gossamers are completely harmless to humans.
Their larvae are like tiny bug vacuums, devouring hundreds of garden pests called aphids!
They can fly backwards! Most insects can't do this trick, showing off their amazing agility.
Unlike many flies, their flight is almost silent, allowing them to sneak up on flowers unnoticed.
Black-legged Gossamer has bright yellow and black stripes that help them look like stinging bees or wasps, scaring away predators.
Black-legged Gossamer can hover perfectly still in mid-air, then dart off quickly, helping them find food and escape danger.
Black-legged Gossamer larvae can hunt and eat many tiny aphids, which helps plants stay healthy and pest-free.
Black-legged Gossamer adults visit many flowers, helping to spread pollen from bloom to bloom for new seeds.
Adults sip nectar and pollen from flowers, while their hungry larvae feast on garden aphids.
Age differences: Larvae are predatory insectivores, but adults switch to a herbivorous diet of nectar and pollen.
Aphis gossypii
Larvae consume these pests on cotton and other plants, aiding pest control.
Rudbeckia hirta
Adults transfer pollen between these vibrant yellow flowers as they feed.
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Tyrannus tyrannus
This bird often catches flying insects like the Black-legged Gossamer in mid-air.
Diplazon laetatorius
Its larvae develop inside the gossamer larvae or pupae, eventually killing them.
Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur.
Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring.
This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.
This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces.
Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants.
No aliases listed yet.
Danger
1/5 · Very low
These flies are safe and won't hurt you, so you can watch them closely!
15-25 mm
8-12 mm
14-30 days
8 km/h
Adults sip nectar and pollen from flowers, while their hungry larvae feast on garden aphids.
Urban areas
Foraging
6
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