# Pufftails (*Sphegina*) Pufftails are small, colorful insects that love to buzz around flowers. They help plants grow by spreading pollen while they sip sweet nectar. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Gardens ![Pufftails](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Sphegina_montana_Richard_Bartz.jpg&width=800) Photo: Richard Bartz , Munich aka Makro Freak, CC BY-SA 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sphegina_montana_Richard_Bartz.jpg) ## Appearance The Pufftails is a small, delicate fly often displaying black and yellow stripes. It has a distinctive slender 'waist' and some species feature slightly enlarged, 'puffy' hind legs. Its single pair of clear wings and hovering flight distinguish it from similar-looking bees. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Diptera - **Family:** Syrphidae - **Genus:** Sphegina ## Interesting facts - Many Pufftails larvae are secret garden helpers, eating aphids that harm plants! - Pufftails can fly backward and sideways, making them super agile! - Pufftails drink nectar using a special straw-like mouth, not a tongue! - Unlike bees, Pufftails only have two wings, but they fly just as well! ## Special abilities - **Aerial Acrobatics:** Pufftails can hover perfectly still because their unique wings allow them to dodge predators and find flowers. - **Master Mimicry:** Pufftails has a striped body pattern that helps them look like stinging wasps, scaring away hungry predators. - **Lightning Dash:** Pufftails can dart away at incredible speeds, helping them escape danger or quickly move between flowers. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 6-16 mm - **Size:** 4-8 mm - **Lifespan:** 14-40 days - **Flight Speed:** 15 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Adults feed on sweet flower nectar and pollen; larvae are tiny garden pest controllers! - **Age differences:** Larvae are predatory, feeding on aphids and other small insects; adults consume nectar and pollen. - **Primary Foods:** Nectar, Pollen, Aphids, Honeydew - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** [Herb Robert](https://www.snappit.app/explore/herb-robert) (*Geranium robertianum*) — help transfer pollen between its delicate pink flowers. - **Hunts:** Cotton Aphid (*Aphis gossypii*) — its larvae are voracious predators of these common plant pests. - **Eaten by:** [Great Tit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-tit) (*Parus major*) — a common bird that preys on insects found near flowers. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [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. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [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 Pufftails are friendly and won't hurt you, but it's best to watch them from a distance. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Pufftails? 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 Pufftails's wingspan? 6-16 mm ### How big is Pufftails? 4-8 mm ### How long does Pufftails live? 14-40 days ### How fast can Pufftails fly? 15 km/h ### What does Pufftails eat? Adults feed on sweet flower nectar and pollen; larvae are tiny garden pest controllers! ### Where is Pufftails usually found? Gardens ### How does Pufftails 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: [Pufftails: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pufftails)