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Hoverfly

Allograpta obliqua

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Field Notes

Description:

Also called flower flies or syrphid flies.
They are often seen hovering or nectaring at flowers or may be seen around aphid colonies where they feed on honeydew secreted by the aphids and lay their eggs. The adults are considered to be important agents in the cross pollination of some plants. The larvae are important predators, feeding primarily on aphids that attack citrus, subtropical fruit trees, grains, corn, alfalfa, cotton, grapes, lettuce and other vegetables, ornamentals, and many wild host plants of the aphids.

Habitat:

Larvae of hoverflies are often found in stagnant water. Adults are often found near plants, their principal food source being nectar and pollen. Some species are found in more unusual locations for example, members of the genus Volucella can be found in bumblebee nests, while members of Microdon are myrmecophiles, found in ant or termite nests. Others can be found in decomposing vegetation.

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