Marmalade Marvel

The marvellous marmalade hoverfly gets its name because its abdomen looks a bit like the conserve. The balteatus part of its scientific name means girdled. It's one of our most common and widespread hoverflies. It uses Batesian mimicry to protect itself from predation. I know that mine is a male as its eyes meet in the middle. I was pleased to find it on a dandelion.

The adults are one of the few flies that are able to crush pollen grains so that they can eat them. The larvae feed on aphids. One larva can consume 400 aphids before it pupates. These flies migrate from Europe in May and June and return in August and September. They can fly up to a height of 1000 metres. Those that stay overwinter as adults.