American Hover Fly - laying eggs

This is a prime example of nature working and why pesticides should be avoided. This female hover fly was observed for an entire day laying eggs all over this aphid infested Stonecrop (Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’). If pesticides were used to kill these aphids, it would also kill these eggs, disrupting this important ecosystem. Even the less toxic insecticidal soaps would likely kill these eggs. The American Hover Fly female actively seeks out pest infested plants to lay her eggs on.
These larvae are extremely beneficial and important natural enemies of pests. They are extremely voracious feeders of aphids of many different species, thrips and other plant-sucking insects. A single larva can consume up to 400 aphids during its development.