# Marmalade Hover Fly (*Episyrphus balteatus*) The Marmalade Hover Fly is a small, friendly insect that looks like a bee! It loves to fly around flowers and helps plants by spreading pollen. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Urban areas - **Also known as:** Marmalade Fly ![Marmalade Hover Fly](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Hoverfly_December_2007-8.jpg&width=800) Photo: Alvesgaspar, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hoverfly_December_2007-8.jpg) ## Appearance The Marmalade Hover Fly is a small, bee-mimicking insect with a bright orange and black striped abdomen, much like marmalade. It has large reddish-brown eyes and clear, delicate wings. Its clever mimicry makes it look like a stinging wasp or bee to predators. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Diptera - **Family:** Syrphidae - **Genus:** Episyrphus ## Interesting facts - Baby hover flies look like tiny slugs and are super hungry for aphids. - Some hover flies migrate thousands of kilometers, crossing continents! - They don't have mouths for biting, only a soft tube for sipping nectar. - This fly can fly backwards, just like a tiny helicopter in reverse! ## Special abilities - **Aerial Acrobat:** Marmalade Hover Fly can hover perfectly still in mid-air, then dart off rapidly, helping them dodge danger and find flowers. - **Pest Control Pal:** Marmalade Hover Fly larvae can gobble up hundreds of garden aphids, which helps plants stay healthy and grow strong. - **Nature's Pollinator:** Marmalade Hover Fly visits many flowers, collecting pollen on its fuzzy body that helps plants make new seeds. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 12-18 mm - **Size:** 7-12 mm - **Lifespan:** 10-30 days - **Flight Speed:** 10 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Adults sip sweet nectar and pollen for energy, while their larvae are fierce hunters of tiny plant pests. - **Age differences:** Adults feed on nectar and pollen; larvae are carnivorous, preying on soft-bodied insects like aphids. - **Primary Foods:** nectar, pollen, aphids, mealybugs, thrips - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Black Bean Aphid (*Aphis fabae*) — larvae actively hunt and consume these common garden pests. - **Pollinates:** [Dandelion](https://www.snappit.app/explore/dandelion) (*Taraxacum officinale*) — adults visit these flowers to collect nectar and spread pollen. - **Eaten by:** [Great Tit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-tit) (*Parus major*) — insectivorous birds may prey on adult hover flies. ## 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. - [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. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [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 flies are friendly and won't sting, so you can watch them safely! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Marmalade Hover Fly? 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 Marmalade Hover Fly's wingspan? 12-18 mm ### How big is Marmalade Hover Fly? 7-12 mm ### How long does Marmalade Hover Fly live? 10-30 days ### How fast can Marmalade Hover Fly fly? 10 km/h ### What does Marmalade Hover Fly eat? Adults sip sweet nectar and pollen for energy, while their larvae are fierce hunters of tiny plant pests. ### Where is Marmalade Hover Fly usually found? Urban areas ### How does Marmalade Hover Fly 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: [Marmalade Hover Fly: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/marmalade-hover-fly)