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Syrphidae
Hoverfly resting on a grass stalk late in the day
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Diptera Superfamily: Syrphoidea Family: Syrphidae
Subfamilies
Eristalinae Microdontinae Syrphinae 200 genera about 6,000 species

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Flies in the Diptera family Syrphidae are commonly known as hoverflies, flower flies, or Syrphid flies.

As their common names suggest, they are often seen hovering or nectaring at flowers; the adults of many species feed mainly on nectar and pollen, while the larvae (maggots) eat a wide range of foods. In some species, the larvae are saprotrophs, eating decaying plant and animal matter in the soil or in ponds and streams. In other species, the larvae are insectivores and prey on aphids, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects. Aphids alone cause tens of millions of dollars of damage to crops worldwide every year, and so aphid-feeding hover-flies are being recognized as important natural enemies of pests, and potential agents for use in biological control. Some adult syrphid flies are important pollinators.

About 6,000 species in 200 genera have been described.

Characteristic wing venation of the Syrphidae

Hoverfly larvae prey upon pest insects, including the leafhoppers which spread some diseases like curly top. Therefore they are seen in agriculture as a natural means of reducing the risk of diseases like curly top.

Gardeners, therefore, will sometimes use companion plants to attract hoverflies. Those reputed to do so include alyssum, Iberis umbellata, statice, buckwheat, chamomile, parsley, and yarrow.

Volucella zonaria, one of the largest hoverflies in Europe, a mimic of Vespa crabro	Hoverfly (Sphaerophoria scripta) on a leaf of an oleander	Hoverfly (Sphaerophoria scripta) on a Hawkweed flower (Hieracium sp.)	Female hoverfly of the genus Eristalis
Syritta pipiens	Episyrphus balteatus	Episyrphus balteatus	Wasp Mimic Temnostoma sp.
		Volucella inanis	Ocyptamus sp.
Bumblebee Mimic Mallota sp.
Helophilus pendulus	Bee mimic from the Western Ghats	Hoverflies mate in midair
Drone fly feeding on marigold

• Stubbs, A.E. and Falk, S.J. (2002) British Hoverflies An Illustrated Identification Guide. Originally published in 1983 with 469 pages, 12 col plates, b/w illus.British Entomological and Natural History Society [ISBN 1-899935-05-3]. 276 species are described and their identification is made easy by the extensive keys, which incorporate over 640 line drawings. The 12 superb colour plates by Steven Falk show 263 specimens depicting 190 different species. Good information on the family. An extensively revised second edition was published in 2002. This incorporates the new species added to the British list since 1983 and includes many name changes. The keys have been extensively revised to include the additional species, and also to include a number of European species which are considered likely to be found in Britain. There are 17 additional black & white plates illustrating the male genitalia of the difficult genera Cheilosia and Sphaerophoria.
• Vockeroth , J.R. A revision of the genera of the Syrphini (Diptera: Syrphidae) Memoirs of the Entomological Society of Canada, no. 62:1-176. Keys subfamilies, tribes and genera on a world basis and under regions.

• Nearctica
• West Palaearctic including Russia
• Australasian/Oceanian

• Bibliography covers morphology, identification, taxonomy, biology and faunistics
• List of Hoverfly species recorded in Britain

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Syrphidae

• All About Hoverflies
• The web-site of the British Hoverfly Recording Scheme includes photos, maps and species accounts
• Syrphidae species in Europe, with photos, range maps and literature
• USDA Entomology site
• Large numbers of Syrphidae photos
• Northwest European Hoverflies: identification keys and photos
• Identification key for Volucella species
• Photographs of World Hoverflies from Japan, in English
• Diptera.info Picture Gallery