Ocyptamus fascipennis

A hover fly perches on an old grass stalk. Austin, Texas, USA.

Dioprosopa clavata

A predatory hover fly larva grazes through a herd of Aphis nerii milkweed aphids. Austin, Texas, USA.

Eristalinus sp.

A constellation of eye speckles indicate a hover fly in the genus Eristalinus. Diamond Creek, Victoria, Australia.

Eristalinus punctulatus

A golden native drone fly sips nectar. Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia.

Eristalinus punctulatus

Golden native drone fly. Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia.

Eristalinus punctulatus

The amazing speckled eyes of a golden native drone fly. Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia.

Orthonevra nitida

Flies often have patterns in their compound eyes, but few crazier than those of the small Orthonevra hover fly. Saint Louis, Missouri, USA.

A predatory syrphid fly larva sneaks up behind an oleander aphid (Aphis nerii) for a quick snack. Syrphids are excellent control agents for pest aphids. Arizona. filename: syrphidlarva1

Microdon

Adults of some Microdon ant parasite flies mimic the appearance of stinging wasps. Victoria, Australia.

Microdontinae

Larvae of syrphid flies in the subfamily Microdontinae are so odd that they were originally described as molluscs. The adults are more or less normal-looking flies, but larvae are predators of ant brood, living within the dark galleries of ant nests (in this case, with Linepithema oblongum). Termas de Reyes, Jujuy, Argentina

Microdontinae

A predatory hover fly larva in a nest of Linepithema ants. Argentina.

Laetodon

This beautiful metallic fly is the adult form of a bizarre parasite of ant nests. Austin, Texas, USA.

Laetodon

This beautiful metallic fly is the adult form of a bizarre parasite of ant nests. Austin, Texas, USA.

Copestylum tamaulipanum

Austin, Texas, USA.

Meromacrus acutus

The strikingly-colored Meromacrus acutus is a Batesian mimic of vespid wasps. Austin, Texas, USA.

Meromacrus acutus

Many insects adopt the bright warning coloration of bees or wasps to fool potential predators. This strikingly-patterned Meromacrus hoverfly looks like a wasp but cannot sting. Austin, Texas, USA.

Palpada vinetorum

One of North America's most distinctively-marked hover flies. Austin, Texas, USA.

Allograpta obliqua

The oblique streaktail is one of the more common hover flies in eastern North America. Austin, Texas, USA.

Allograpta obliqua

An oblique hover fly feeds from a spring dogwood flower. Brackenridge Field Laboratory, Texas, USA.

Eristalis sp.

A drone fly (Eristalis sp.) feeds on a Coreopsis flower. Urbana, Illinois, USA

Eristalis

Saint Louis, Missouri, USA.

Eristalis transversa

Eristalis transversa is among the most colorful North American hoverflies. Urbana, Illinois, USA

Eupeodes

Austin, Texas, USA.

Melangyna viridiceps

The common halfband is one of Australia's most widespread and abundant hover flies. Yarra Ranges National Park, Victoria, Australia.

Melangyna viridiceps

A common halfband hover fly takes nectar from an aster. Victoria, Australia.