# Yellow-barred Peat Hover Fly (*Sericomyia silentis*) The Yellow-barred Peat Hover Fly is a special insect that loves to buzz around flowers. It has bright yellow stripes and looks like a tiny helicopter as it hovers in the air! - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Yellow-barred Peat Hover Fly](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Gro%C3%9Fe_Torf-Schwebfliege_%28Sericomyia_silentis%29%252C_Hohlenwiesbach%252C_Rocherath%252C_Ostbelgien_%2819474316013%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Frank Vassen from Brussels, Belgium, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gro%C3%9Fe_Torf-Schwebfliege_%28Sericomyia_silentis%29%252C_Hohlenwiesbach%252C_Rocherath%252C_Ostbelgien_%2819474316013%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Yellow-barred Peat Hover Fly is a large, chunky hoverfly with a dense covering of black hairs on its body. It has distinctive broad, bright yellow bands across its dark abdomen, creating a striking contrast. Its large, reddish-brown eyes are prominent on its face. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Diptera - **Family:** Syrphidae - **Genus:** Sericomyia ## Interesting facts - Adults love to sip sweet flower nectar, while their young munch on decaying plants! - Even though it looks like a bumblebee, this fly cannot sting you at all! - Its larvae, called 'rat-tailed maggots', live in murky water with a long breathing tube! - These amazing insects can fly both forwards and backwards in the air. ## Special abilities - **Wasp Impersonator:** Yellow-barred Peat Hover Fly has yellow and black patterns that help them scare predators by looking like a stinging wasp. - **Hovering Master:** Yellow-barred Peat Hover Fly can hover perfectly still in mid-air because of its agile wings that allow precise flight control. - **Nature's Recycler:** Yellow-barred Peat Hover Fly larvae can break down decaying plant matter because of their special diet in wetland environments. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 25-30 mm - **Size:** 12-15 mm - **Lifespan:** 15-40 days - **Flight Speed:** 20 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Adults drink flower nectar, while their larvae are detritivores, eating decaying plant matter. - **Age differences:** Larvae eat decaying plants in water, but adults feed on flower nectar and pollen. - **Primary Foods:** Nectar, Pollen, Decaying plant matter, Microbial film - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** [Heather](https://www.snappit.app/explore/heather) (*Calluna vulgaris*) — Adults collect nectar from its purple flowers. - **Pollinates:** [Cross-leaved Heath](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cross-leaved-heath) (*Erica tetralix*) — They help these bog plants reproduce. - **Eaten by:** European Garden Spider (*Araneus diadematus*) — Can become prey for orb-weaving spiders. - **Depends on:** Red Bog-moss (*Sphagnum capillifolium*) — Its larvae thrive in decaying moss in peat bogs. ## Traits - [Striped](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/striped): Marked with parallel bands or lines of color. - [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. - [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. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [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 Hover flies are friendly and won't hurt you. Just watch them from a distance! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Yellow-barred Peat 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 Yellow-barred Peat Hover Fly's wingspan? 25-30 mm ### How big is Yellow-barred Peat Hover Fly? 12-15 mm ### How long does Yellow-barred Peat Hover Fly live? 15-40 days ### How fast can Yellow-barred Peat Hover Fly fly? 20 km/h ### What does Yellow-barred Peat Hover Fly eat? Adults drink flower nectar, while their larvae are detritivores, eating decaying plant matter. ### Where is Yellow-barred Peat Hover Fly usually found? Wetlands ### How does Yellow-barred Peat 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: [Yellow-barred Peat Hover Fly Facts — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/yellow-barred-peat-hover-fly)