# Common Globetail (*Sphaerophoria scripta*) The Common Globetail is a small, friendly insect that loves to fly around flowers. Its bright colors and unique shape make it easy to spot in gardens and fields. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Urban areas ![Common Globetail](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/%28MHNT%29_Sphaerophoria_scripta_-_Female_dorsal_view.jpg&width=800) Photo: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%28MHNT%29_Sphaerophoria_scripta_-_Female_dorsal_view.jpg) ## Appearance The Common Globetail is a slender hoverfly with a distinctive long, tapering abdomen marked with bright yellow and black stripes. It has large reddish-brown eyes and clear, delicate wings. Its coloration mimics a wasp, making it visually distinct from most other flies. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Diptera - **Family:** Syrphidae - **Genus:** Sphaerophoria ## Interesting facts - Baby Globetails, called larvae, don't have legs and look like tiny, hungry slugs! - Even though they look like stinging wasps, Common Globetails cannot sting at all! - Some Globetail females can lay up to 800 tiny eggs during their short adult life! - They taste food with their feet and use their antennae to smell for tasty nectar! ## Special abilities - **Hover Master:** Common Globetail can hover perfectly still in the air because of its agile wing movements, which helps them search for flowers or mates. - **Disguise Artist:** Common Globetail has a bright yellow and black striped body that helps them look like a stinging wasp, scaring away predators. - **Pest Patrol (Larva):** Common Globetail larvae can eat hundreds of aphids because of their predatory nature, which helps protect plants from pests. - **Flower Friend:** Common Globetail can transfer pollen between flowers because it feeds on nectar, helping plants reproduce and grow. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 15-25 mm - **Size:** 7-12 mm - **Lifespan:** 10-30 days - **Flight Speed:** 5-10 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Adults drink nectar and eat pollen; larvae feast on aphids and other small, soft-bodied insects. - **Age differences:** Larvae are predatory, eating aphids; adults consume nectar and pollen from flowers. - **Primary Foods:** Nectar, Pollen, Aphids, Scale insects, Small caterpillars - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** Cotton aphid (*Aphis gossypii*) — Larvae consume this common garden pest. - **Pollinates:** [Common Dandelion](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-dandelion) (*Taraxacum officinale*) — Adults visit this flower for nectar and pollen. - **Eaten by:** [Great Tit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-tit) (*Parus major*) — Adults and larvae can become food for insectivorous birds. - **Eaten by:** European Garden Spider (*Araneus diadematus*) — Adults may get caught in spider webs. - **Parasitizes:** Ichneumonid Wasp (*Diplazon laetatorius*) — Larvae are hosts for parasitic wasp eggs. ## Traits - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low These insects are safe to watch, but don't try to catch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Common Globetail? Look for six legs, antennae, three body sections and the shape of the wings. Beetles have hardened front wings; flies have just one working pair. Tiny insects may need a close view before their group is clear. Insect Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Common Globetail's wingspan? 15-25 mm ### How big is Common Globetail? 7-12 mm ### How long does Common Globetail live? 10-30 days ### How fast can Common Globetail fly? 5-10 km/h ### What does Common Globetail eat? Adults drink nectar and eat pollen; larvae feast on aphids and other small, soft-bodied insects. ### Where is Common Globetail usually found? Urban areas ### How does Common Globetail hunt? Foraging ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Common Globetail: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-globetail)