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iNaturalist | profile | all galleries >> Insects >> Flies: Order Diptera >> Syrphidae: Hover Flies tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Syrphidae: Hover Flies

           Hover Flies, Family Syrphidae

          Explanation of vernacular names used: These flies are commonly known as "hover flies” or “flower flies" but are generally
          referred to by entomologists as "syrphids" from their family name. Certain ones that look like bees are also known as
          "drone flies" but these should not be confused with true Bee Flies of family Bombyliidae. In other words, a drone fly is a
          Syrphid, while a Bee Fly is a Bombyliid. (Got that?)

          I use the names "syrphid" and "hover" interchangeably; I label certain bee mimics as "drone flies.”

          Male hover flies frequently do hover, a fact which allows the photographer to occasionally get one in flight; not sure about
          females. Their flight also tends to be almost completely silent -- not buzzy like house and horse flies.

Syrphid Fly, Allograpta obliqua, male
Syrphid Fly, Allograpta obliqua, male		 Syrphid Fly, Allograpta obliqua, male
Syrphid Fly, Allograpta obliqua, male		 Syrphid Fly, Blera humeralis
Syrphid Fly, Blera humeralis		 Hover Fly, cf Blera sp
Hover Fly, cf Blera sp		 Syrphid Fly, Ceriana tridens
Syrphid Fly, Ceriana tridens		 Syrphid Fly, Ceriana tridens
Syrphid Fly, Ceriana tridens		 Syrphid Fly, Ceriana tridens
Syrphid Fly, Ceriana tridens
Syrphid Fly, Chalcosyrphus nemorum, male
Syrphid Fly, Chalcosyrphus nemorum, male		 Syrphid Fly, Chrysotoxum sp
Syrphid Fly, Chrysotoxum sp		 Syrphid Fly, Chrysotoxum sp
Syrphid Fly, Chrysotoxum sp		 Syrphid Fly, Chrysotoxum sp
Syrphid Fly, Chrysotoxum sp		 Comon Lagoon Fly, Eristalinus aeneus
Comon Lagoon Fly, Eristalinus aeneus		 Comon Lagoon Fly, Eristalinus aeneus
Comon Lagoon Fly, Eristalinus aeneus		 Comon Lagoon Fly, Eristalinus aeneus
Comon Lagoon Fly, Eristalinus aeneus
Comon Lagoon Fly, Eristalinus aeneus
Comon Lagoon Fly, Eristalinus aeneus		 Drone Fly, Eristalis arbustorum, female
Drone Fly, Eristalis arbustorum, female		 Drone Fly, Eristalis arbustorum, male
Drone Fly, Eristalis arbustorum, male		 Drone Fly, Eristalis arbustorum, male
Drone Fly, Eristalis arbustorum, male		 Syrphid Fly, Eristalis interrupta, female
Syrphid Fly, Eristalis interrupta, female		 Syrphid Fly, Eristalis hirta, female
Syrphid Fly, Eristalis hirta, female		 Syrphid Fly, Eristalis hirta, female
Syrphid Fly, Eristalis hirta, female
Syrphid Fly, Eristalis hirta, female
Syrphid Fly, Eristalis hirta, female		 Syrphid Fly, Eristalis hirta, male
Syrphid Fly, Eristalis hirta, male		 Drone Fly, Eristalis tenax
Drone Fly, Eristalis tenax		 Drone Fly, Eristalis sp, female
Drone Fly, Eristalis sp, female		 Syrphid Fly, Eristalis sp, in flight
Syrphid Fly, Eristalis sp, in flight		 Syrphid Fly, Eumeris sp
Syrphid Fly, Eumeris sp		 Syrphid Fly, Eupeodes fumipennis, male
Syrphid Fly, Eupeodes fumipennis, male
Syrphid Fly, Eupeodes fumipennis, male
Syrphid Fly, Eupeodes fumipennis, male		 Syrphid Fly, Eupeodes sp, male
Syrphid Fly, Eupeodes sp, male		 Syrphid Fly, Eupeodes volucris, male
Syrphid Fly, Eupeodes volucris, male		 Syrphid Fly, cf Eupeodes male
Syrphid Fly, cf Eupeodes male		 Syrphid Fly, Eupeodes fumipennis, male
Syrphid Fly, Eupeodes fumipennis, male		 Syrphid Fly, cf Fazia micrura, female
Syrphid Fly, cf Fazia micrura, female		 Syrphid Fly, cf Fazia micrura, female
Syrphid Fly, cf Fazia micrura, female
Golden Syrphid Fly, male
Golden Syrphid Fly, male		 Syrphid Fly, Ferdinandea croesus
Syrphid Fly, Ferdinandea croesus		 Syrphid Fly, Ferdinandea croesus
Syrphid Fly, Ferdinandea croesus		 Syrphid Fly, Helophilus sp, male
Syrphid Fly, Helophilus sp, male		 Syrphid Fly, Helophilus sp, male
Syrphid Fly, Helophilus sp, male		 Syrphid Fly, Lapposyrphus lapponicus, female
Syrphid Fly, Lapposyrphus lapponicus, female		 Narcissus Bulb Fly, Merodon equestris
Narcissus Bulb Fly, Merodon equestris
Syrphid Fly, Palpada alhambra, male
Syrphid Fly, Palpada alhambra, male		 Syrphid Fly, Palpada alhambra, female
Syrphid Fly, Palpada alhambra, female		 Syrphid Fly, Palpada alhambra, male
Syrphid Fly, Palpada alhambra, male		 Syrphid Fly, Platycheirus trichopus, female
Syrphid Fly, Platycheirus trichopus, female		 Syrphid Fly, Platycheirus trichopus, female
Syrphid Fly, Platycheirus trichopus, female		 Syrphid Fly, Platycheirus trichopus, male
Syrphid Fly, Platycheirus trichopus, male		 Syrphid Fly, Platycheirus trichopus, male
Syrphid Fly, Platycheirus trichopus, male
Western Forest Sedgesitter, Platycheirus trichopus
Western Forest Sedgesitter, Platycheirus trichopus		 Western Forest Sedgesitter, Platycheirus trichopus
Western Forest Sedgesitter, Platycheirus trichopus		 Syrphid Fly, proboscis
Syrphid Fly, proboscis		 Hover Fly, Platycheirus sp
Hover Fly, Platycheirus sp		 Hover Fly, Scaeva pyrastri
Hover Fly, Scaeva pyrastri		 Sulphur-footed Syrphid, Sphaerophoria sulphuripes
Sulphur-footed Syrphid, Sphaerophoria sulphuripes		 Syrphid Fly, Sphaerophoria sulphuripes
Syrphid Fly, Sphaerophoria sulphuripes
Syrphid Fly, cf Sphaerophoria sulphuripes, female
Syrphid Fly, cf Sphaerophoria sulphuripes, female		 Syrphid Fly, cf Sphaerophoria sulphuripes, female
Syrphid Fly, cf Sphaerophoria sulphuripes, female		 Syrphid Fly, Sphaerophoria sulphuripes, female
Syrphid Fly, Sphaerophoria sulphuripes, female		 Syrphid Fly, Sphaerophoria sulphuripes, female
Syrphid Fly, Sphaerophoria sulphuripes, female		 Syrphid Fly, Sphaerophoria sulphuripes, female
Syrphid Fly, Sphaerophoria sulphuripes, female		 Syrphid Fly, Sphaerophoria sulphuripes, female
Syrphid Fly, Sphaerophoria sulphuripes, female		 Syrphid Fly, Sphaerophoria sp, female
Syrphid Fly, Sphaerophoria sp, female
Syrphid Fly, Spilomyia interrupta, male
Syrphid Fly, Spilomyia interrupta, male		 Syrphid Fly, Spilomyia interrupta, male
Syrphid Fly, Spilomyia interrupta, male		 Syrphid Fly, Spilomyia interrupta, female
Syrphid Fly, Spilomyia interrupta, female		 Syrphid Fly, Spilomyia interrupta, female
Syrphid Fly, Spilomyia interrupta, female		 Syrphid Fly, Spilomyia interrupta, male
Syrphid Fly, Spilomyia interrupta, male		 Syrphid Fly, Spilomyia interrupta, male
Syrphid Fly, Spilomyia interrupta, male		 Thick-legged Hoverfly, Syritta pipiens, male
Thick-legged Hoverfly, Syritta pipiens, male
Thick-legged Hoverfly, Syritta pipiens, male
Thick-legged Hoverfly, Syritta pipiens, male		 Syrphid Fly, Syrphus opinator, male
Syrphid Fly, Syrphus opinator, male		 Syrphid Fly, Syrphus opinator, male
Syrphid Fly, Syrphus opinator, male		 Syrphid Fly, Syrphus opinator, female
Syrphid Fly, Syrphus opinator, female		 Syrphid Fly, Syrphus opinator, female
Syrphid Fly, Syrphus opinator, female		 Syrphid Fly, Toxomerus marginatus, female
Syrphid Fly, Toxomerus marginatus, female		 Syrphid Fly, Toxomerus marginatus, male
Syrphid Fly, Toxomerus marginatus, male
Syrphid Fly, Toxomerus marginatus, male
Syrphid Fly, Toxomerus marginatus, male		 Syrphid Fly, Toxomerus occidentalis, female
Syrphid Fly, Toxomerus occidentalis, female		 Syrphid Fly, Toxomerus occidentalis, female
Syrphid Fly, Toxomerus occidentalis, female		 Syrphid Fly, Toxomerus occidentalis, male
Syrphid Fly, Toxomerus occidentalis, male		 Syrphid Fly, Toxomerus occidentalis, male
Syrphid Fly, Toxomerus occidentalis, male		 Syrphid Fly, Toxomerus occidentalis, male
Syrphid Fly, Toxomerus occidentalis, male		 Syrphid Fly, Tropidia quadrata, male
Syrphid Fly, Tropidia quadrata, male
Syrphid Fly, Tropidia quadrata, male
Syrphid Fly, Tropidia quadrata, male		 Syrphid Fly, Tropidia quadrata, male
Syrphid Fly, Tropidia quadrata, male		 Syrphid Fly on Baby Blue Eyes
Syrphid Fly on Baby Blue Eyes

comment | share
carlogalliani24-Jul-2013 18:10
Excellent gallery !
Mike Mills 06-Nov-2010 19:40
I appreciate your entomological and educational comments as well as the inclusion of the scientific names on your page. The photos are pretty excellent too!
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