A striped fly that looks like a bee. A striped fly that looks like a wasp. What do flies eat

Sirfida (hoverfly) belongs to the 2-winged order, as well as mosquitoes, mosquitoes, some flies, etc. This insect, which is so often confused with stingers (wasps, bees, and the like), is actually completely harmless and peaceful , even bringing a certain benefit to a person.

The body length of the syrphid reaches an average of 10-12 mm (in larger species - up to 25 mm). The legs are short, light, one pair of wings. The proboscis is not too long, the body is covered with a barely noticeable fluff. The eyes are large, dark brown, the head is semicircular, slightly flattened. The color resembles the colors of wasps: a dark abdomen with bright yellow oblong spots that look like stripes (one such strip on each segment of the abdomen).

Hoverfly larvae are elongated, reminiscent of leeches, but slightly wrinkled. Their body is slightly narrowed in front. In general, the larvae are clumsy, but their mobility increases sharply during the hunt (they make a very sharp throw at the prey). Their color is greenish, transparent, which allows you to see translucent internal organs. This stage lasts for a month.

The pupae look like a drop of resin.

The eggs are white or with a pinkish (sometimes greenish or yellowish) tint, translucent, very small, develop 2-4 days.

You can meet hoverflies in Eurasia and North America (but not in its northernmost part). The main habitat of the syrphid is forest clearings, vegetable gardens, fields, where it feeds on flower nectar or pollen.

Lifestyle, nutrition, reproduction

Adult insects are very maneuverable, they can change direction to the exact opposite very abruptly. Due to the rapid movement of the wings, the fly often hangs in one place and seems to soar in the air above the flowers, as if choosing which of them has more goodies.

The larvae are voracious, and the older they get, the more and more actively they eat. They feed mainly on small insect pests - caterpillars, psyllids, spider mites, small butterflies and aphids. They literally suck the last one alive. One syrphid larva can suck up to 200 aphids in one day, and one can imagine what benefit a whole brood of such larvae will have in the garden. It is on plants affected by aphids that one can often notice the accumulation of syrphid larvae. In addition, the larvae can be localized in the nests of other insects, rotten decaying wood, on large plants.

In the stage of larvae, the hoverfly flies overwinter. In the spring, pupae appear from them, and by the end of June, young adults begin their years already in July.

During the courtship period for females, males hover above them in the air and make a sound similar to a murmur. A similar, but slightly different sound can be heard from sirfids at other times, hence their popular name - hoverflies. Mating of these flies can take place right in the air. Also, hovering, males protect their territory, driving away rivals.

After a while, a fertilized female lays eggs directly on fruit trees. For 1 time, she can lay 150-200 eggs. The hatched larvae become good harvest fighters, destroying harmful insects. Therefore, in order for hoverflies to take a fancy to a garden or vegetable garden, they need more umbrella and flowering plants (both cultivated and wild), then there is a chance to acquire such useful neighbors for a permanent time.

Mimicry

As already mentioned, sirphids outwardly are very similar to stinging insects - wasps, bees, bumblebees. Hoverflies seem to disguise themselves as them, and their striped black and yellow color helps them in this. But on closer inspection, you can see the difference:

• in sirfids, the antennae are much shorter (for example, the wasp has antennae up to 1 cm);
• they are smaller than wasps, bees, etc. (excluding especially large species);
• they have 1 pair of wings, while stingers have 2.

But even with these minor differences, nothing prevents syrphids from feeling quite free and bold in nature: their external imitation (mimicry, from the English word mimicry - disguise, imitation) of dangerous stinging insects is so plausible that few birds risk attacking them, especially if before the sad experience of contact with a wasp was already. But all this - with the absolute harmlessness and even some defenselessness of the sirfid.

Nature endowed these flies with such a color, thanks to which they can not be afraid of attacks by enemies. Hence, a few more popular names for hoverflies: bee, wasp, fly wasp, etc.

The hoverfly fly is a two-winged insect that looks like a bee or wasp, but differs from them in a smaller number of wings. Where such an insect lives, its differences from predators, nutrition and reproduction - all the information and interesting facts that will be of interest to nature lovers and gardeners.

Fly like a wasp

Hoverflies (lat. Syrphidae) are often found in gardens and summer cottages, where they actively pollinate flowers on garden and fruit crops.

On a note!

They are called hoverflies, thanks to the sounds made during the flight, similar to the murmur of running water.

They are widespread and found on all continents at positive air temperatures. According to the biological classification, scientists refer them to the order of short-whiskers and the family of Diptera.

Sirphids use a remarkable ability to mimic, having an appearance very similar to the stinging insects of bees and wasps, which have the same yellow-black striped abdomen, as seen in the photo of the hoverfly fly, thanks to which they escape from the attack of birds and predators. Hoverflies are virtuosos in the "flight" business: their ability to hover or loiter in one place, and then take off and fly away quickly, is their distinguishing feature. It is due to the unique structure of the wings: one pair is ordinary, and the second is reduced over time into halteres, which are club-shaped, which helps the insect maintain balance and control the stop in flight.

Wasp fly males have their own territory, which they guard vigilantly, periodically hovering in space. Even mating with females occurs in flight.

Outwardly, hoverflies resemble bees or wasps: they have an elongated body with a yellow belly and black stripes, some species have a black body with yellow spots.

On a note!

Due to the similarity of hoverflies with stinging insects, many are interested in the question of whether they bite. The answer may be information about the absence of not only a sting, but also poisonous glands. Therefore, they are absolutely harmless to humans.

Types of hoverflies

1. Damaged plants should be immediately removed from the ground and burned.
2. Treat the beds with insecticidal preparations Aktara, Decis,: and others.
3. Annually make a change in the place of planting such flower crops.
4. Plant carrots in the beds, because its smell can scare away onion hoverflies and flies.
5. according to the same recipe as from the onion fly.
6. It is good to loosen and mulch the soil in order to prevent its compaction - this measure helps to prevent the appearance of sirfid.
7. To prevent the appearance of females of onion hoverflies, it is recommended to treat plantings with tobacco powder, ash, red pepper or naphthalene.
8. After harvesting the beds with onions or garlic, it is recommended to treat the soil with copper sulfate.

However, most species of hoverflies are, helping to pollinate flowers and fruit crops in areas where there are few bees, and eating small pests in large quantities. Therefore, they are considered assistants to gardeners and flower growers, increasing the yield of plants.

We are all used to the fact that an insect in a bright black and yellow outfit is a wasp and you should stay away from it. But take a closer look. Such an insect hung in the air, then jerked sharply to the side and sat down on a flower. Come closer and take a look. Instead of powerful wasp jaws, you will see a proboscis with a pad at the end - the same as that of a familiar house fly. Yes, and the whole head - eyes, antennae - the insect has a fly, not a wasp. No longer fearing to be stung, pay attention to the wings - there are not four of them, as it should be for wasps, but only two. So, we met an unusual fly imitating a poisonous wasp.

Most likely, this fly belongs to the hoverfly family. This is a very remarkable group of insects, which are worth talking about in more detail. Their names in different languages ​​reflect their different characteristics. The Russian name "hoverfly" comes from the sound they make in flight. In English, German and Dutch they are called "soaring flies" - for the habit of hanging in the air; in Swedish, in Finnish - “flower flies” (sometimes they are called that in Russian); the Czechs call them "motley" (and also - "osonki"), and the Slovaks - "trembling" (apparently, also for the characteristic hovering in the air). The scientific name of this family is sirphids, derived from the Greek word "sirphos" ("animal, mosquito").

It is quite easy to distinguish hoverflies from those they imitate - you just need to train and understand that not only bees and wasps can have a fluffy or striped body. The most obvious sign is the number of wings: like all flies, hoverflies have only one pair, while other insects have two. Actually, that is why the order of insects, to which flies belong, was called "dipterous". Although this sign is unmistakable, it must be admitted that it is not the most convenient: in flight, and even at rest, it is not always easy to see how many wings an insect has. It is much better to take a closer look at the head: the typical fly's very large eyes, characteristic proboscis, and often small antennae will clearly show that we have met not a wasp or a bee. If you observe insects often, you will most likely be able to distinguish hoverflies over time by their general "fly" appearance and small features of flight that are difficult to describe in words.

Where can you find hoverflies? It is best to look for them on a sunny day near abundantly flowering plants - for example, in a meadow. Adults spend their lives there. On flowers, they feed on nectar and pollen, they also find a mate there, and some lay eggs. Pollen, unlike nectar, which is a syrup of sugars, is a "heavy" food, and only a few insects are able to feed on it. However, it is also more nutritious, as it contains a lot of proteins. And the latter are needed by dipteran females so that they can develop eggs: mosquitoes and horseflies drink blood for this, but hoverflies and some other flies have found a “vegetarian” way to solve the problem. But, unlike the aforementioned bloodsuckers, males also consume protein food in hoverflies.

Like most flower-eating animals, hoverflies are pollinators. Usually, when talking about pollination, people think of butterflies or bees. Of course, bees are the most important pollinators, but hoverflies should be placed in second place. Many of them have long proboscises that allow them to penetrate into deep flowers as well - although, like other flies, they mainly feed on simple, open flowers with easily accessible nectar and pollen.

Outwardly hoverflies are very diverse. There are up to 6000 of their species in the world, and 800 of them live in Russia. Many of them have black and yellow (rarely black and white) coloring of spots and stripes, reminiscent of wasp coloring. Wasp flies masterfully imitate these stinging insects - some of them are similar not only in color and body shape, but also stretch their front legs forward, as if they were long wasp mustaches, and also bend their abdomen, as if trying to sting. Other flies - bee species - imitate bees with a brown hairy body. It is believed that they also need hairs so that pollen sticks to them, which the bee species then clean off from the body with their feet and eat. But bumblebee flies also imitate bumblebees in order to lay eggs in their nests. The very numerous sirphs, which gave the name to the whole family, are small flies with yellow spots on an elegant thin abdomen. Some Hoverflies don't disguise themselves, like the little chylosia with a shiny black body. Several types of hoverflies have large hind legs unusual for flies with swollen hips.

Why do many hoverflies look like wasps and bees? The answer is obvious: to scare away predators. However, not all so simple. It is traditionally believed that in the case of mimicry - this is how the imitation of non-dangerous animals is called dangerous - there should be fewer imitators than "originals", because otherwise the predator will more often meet non-poisonous victims and will not be able to develop the habit of not eating the owner of a characteristic color. But hoverflies are much more common than wasps. What's the matter? Entomologist Gennady Dlussky showed that coloring protects mimic hoverflies only during the period of chick emergence. Adult birds in an accurate and quick throw will be able to grab any fly (and hoverfly too). But the chicks starting to hunt are not yet so dexterous and slow down near the flower - all the flies get scared and take off, and the bees and wasps, knowing that they can fend for themselves, continue to eat imperturbably. Naturally, in this case, the chick will be stung by some striped insect, although there were relatively few such dangerous insects. Subsequently, having matured and gained experience, the birds will learn to distinguish wasp and bee flies from wasps and bees - and will eat them with pleasure. But during the period of mass flight of chicks, the resemblance to stinging insects saves many hoverflies.

Many people have met this insect more than once in their garden or on a walk in the park. Initially, you might think that a wasp or a bee has landed on the flower. But when a person or animal approaches, when a frightened insect rises, a difference can be noticed. The hoverfly does not fly away immediately, it hangs in place for a while. At the same time, you can hear the sound that the wings of an insect make. This sound is somewhat similar to the soft murmur of water. Most likely, the name of the insect is associated with this sound.

Peculiarities

Hoverfly flies look like formidable wasps and bees. Thus, the insect has adapted in the course of evolution. Birds, seeing an insect with such a color, do not try to "dine" with such prey.

Hoverfly flies are very interesting insects. In flight, their virtuosity is inimitable. The insect is able to stay in flight for a long time. They fly very fast. And at the same time, if necessary, they can hang in one place.

Male hover flies are engaged in the protection of "their" territory. They drive away other "applicants" to the territory by hanging in the air for a long time. The opponent, seeing that the area is busy, fly to another place. Virtuoso flyers, hoverflies can be in a state of flight for a long time. Insects can hover for a long time, and then abruptly change direction of flight. Even the mating process, many individuals carry out in flight.

The ability of hoverflies to stay in the air for a long time is due to the peculiarities of the structure of the wings. One pair of wings performs the usual functions, the other pair has been deformed in the process of evolution, turning into club-shaped halteres. This organ helps the insect maintain balance and control the direction of flight.

In nature, there are several types of hover flies. Distributed in:

• Europe;
• Central Asia;
• North America.

Sometimes these insects are found even in the subarctic zone.

Benefit and harm

Hoverflies can be attributed to predatory insects, as they feed on plant foods and insect pests. Adults feed on pollen and plant nectar. Therefore, hoverfly flies can be attributed to pollinating insects. Insects give the greatest preference to plants of umbrella and Compositae. Do not disdain a variety of meadow grasses, fruit trees and shrubs.

The basis of insect nutrition is sugar, which is contained in nectar. It is he who gives the hoverflies energy. And pollen provides the protein necessary for the growth and development of eggs.

The hatched larvae differ in the way they feed. Some feed on rotting wood, there are living and developing in the water. There are exotic species that feed on and process manure. Most of the larvae prefer aphids. Therefore, they can be considered true protectors of gardens. Many amateur gardeners specially plant near-stem circles of berry and fruit trees with umbrella crops in order to attract hoverflies to the garden to prevent aphids from attacking.

But there are varieties of hover flies that feed on lily crops. It is these specimens that can damage the crop by eating bulbs of flower crops, damaging onions and garlic.

An interesting insect is the hoverfly. Despite the fact that some species can eat cultivated plants, in general they are human helpers. In remote mountainous areas where there is a shortage of bees and wasps, they pollinate plants and increase their yield. They are of great help by eating aphids and spider mites in the garden. This protects the trees from pests. And it's just interesting to watch them move in the air.

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A wasp-like fly is familiar to many gardeners. However, the insect behaves not at all like a wasp, but in a completely different way: the difference can be seen when a creature, frightened by the approach of a person, soars up. Hoverfly does not instantly leave the danger zone. For some time, it hangs in place, making a peculiar sound with its wings, reminiscent of the murmur of water. Apparently, this fact influenced the name of the fly.

What does it look like

They are also syrphids - a large family with about 6000 species. Outwardly, the striped fly from the Syrphidae family really resembles a formidable wasp, a bee, or even a bumblebee. This feature (mimicry) allows the insect to protect itself from a bird that wants to feast on it. After all, birds try not to contact wasps, fearing their sting and poison.

The body size of an adult hoverfly fly is 10-12 mm, there are also body sizes up to 25 mm. The main distinguishing feature of insects of this species is the absence of hard hairs, the owners of which are representatives of other fly families. Like a striped dark yellow color, the body of a fly is covered with a fine pile. But unlike these insects, hoverflies do not have a second pair of wings, which gives them the opportunity to hover for a long time in flight and abruptly change the direction of their movement. The hoverfly is the owner of light short legs and a moderate length of the proboscis (a photo of a wasp-like fly is presented below).

Where does it live

The hoverfly fly is found almost everywhere, with the exception of Antarctica, deserts and tundra. Insects of this species are especially common in Europe, Central Asia and North America.

On a note!

There is a striped fly in Russia, living in household plots.

What does it eat

pollen and nectar of plants. Most often, a fly like a wasp is found on flowering plants, plantings of parsley, dill, carrots. She does not disdain a variety of meadow herbs, fruit trees and shrubs. After all, the basis of insect nutrition is the sugar contained in the nectar. It is he who replenishes the energy reserves of a flying insect. Pollen is a source of protein, which is necessary for the proper growth and development of eggs.

How it breeds

The flight of flies begins in late May, early June. hoverflies usually occur in July. One female lays up to two hundred eggs. She can place them in the grass, on plant stems, tree branches and on the surface of the soil (the place of oviposition usually depends on the type of insect). So, the onion hoverfly, which lives mainly on onions, lays its eggs on the feathers of the culture.

It usually takes 8-12 days. The legless, sedentary larvae that emerged from them resemble a flexible green, pale yellow or pinkish leech. Internal organs are visible through the thin skin. The length of the syrphid at this stage of development is about one centimeter.

According to the type of nutrition, the larvae can vary:

• predators use aphids, fleas and other small insects as food, helping vegetable gardens fight small pests;
• herbivorous species damage lily bulbs and stems of plants;
• larvae living in a reservoir use detritus for food;
• manure and wood from dead trees provide a food source for exotic hover flies.

So the larvae feed and grow for 2-3 weeks, after which they move on to the next stage of their development - to the pupal stage.

The hoverfly pupa has a drop-shaped body. The pupae that remain overwintering are usually brown in color, of a light shade - summer pupae. After 10-14 days, an adult appears from the puparium, which after 1-2 hours becomes capable of flying. With the onset of cold weather, the caterpillars of the new generation hide for wintering.

About harm and benefit

Not everyone knows that the hoverfly fly is not able to bite, as it has neither a sting nor poison. Speaking about the dangers and benefits of these "false" wasps, it all depends directly on their type.

On a note!

Huge. They are the best defenders of fruit trees and shrubs, destroying various harmful insects. Also, hoverfly larvae are also pollinators of flowering crops, which is especially necessary in mountainous areas due to the lack of bees.

Quite the opposite can be said about herbivorous hoverflies. Such flies are a source of great problems for gardeners, damaging onions, garlic, bulbs of hyacinths, daffodils, gladioli and tulips. As a result, damaged plants begin to hurt and dry out. Bulbs of flower crops suffer no less, not giving good reproduction after themselves.