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HoverflySpotterM.D @hoverflyspotter.bsky.social · 9h

My Species of the Week: Common Banded Hoverfly (Syrphus ribesii). Fascinating #hoverflies that lek, sing to females and use larval mimicry to avoid predation. Hope you will visit and enjoy the read.
#flies #Insects #pollinator #nature #syrphidae #knowledge #biology #wildlife #diptera

Hoverfly - Common Banded (Syrphus ribesii)

The Common Banded Hoverfly: A review of its larval biology, lekking behaviour and identification tips to distinguish it from other UK Syrphus species.

hoverflyspotter.blogspot.com

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HoverflySpotterM.D @hoverflyspotter.bsky.social · 1d

Still hoverflies around Carlton Marsh Nr Royston Saturday. Common Banded (Syrphus ribesii) 3♀, Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax) 1♂, Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax) 1♀, Marmalade (Episyrphus balteatus), Lunuled Aphideater (Eupeodes luniger) 1♀ #syrphidae #hoverflies

Lunuled Aphideater taken earlier this year

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Alex Wild @alexwild.bsky.social · 1d

When fly designers subcontract Jackson Pollock to do the eyes. (Eristalinus sp. hover fly, Victoria, Australia).

A close-in macro photograph of the face of a robust greenish-yellow hover fly standing on a green leaf. The fly's enormous compound eyes are speckled with hundreds of blood-red spots.

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HoverflySpotterM.D @hoverflyspotter.bsky.social · 2d

I am not a reader of biographies but I would totally recommend Making it So by Patrick Stewart. It was very easy read full of stories from #StarTrek, his early childhood in #Mirfield #Yorkshire and his #Shakespearean adventures before Captain Jean-Luc Picard.

The book cover of Making It So: A Memoir by Patrick Stewart

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Wild🌻Flower @pamelawf.bsky.social · 4d

Humanities Purpose
My Prayer
Light Shines Through
Before Too Late

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Ian Beavis @ianbeavis.bsky.social · 4d

The ancient woodland hoverfly Didea fasciata at ivy in Dunorlan Park yesterday

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HoverflySpotterM.D @hoverflyspotter.bsky.social · 4d

Attended an online talk yesterday from Cat Gordon from the #Shark Trust – Strandline to Science: The Journey of a Shark Eggcase. Will be looking along that strandline in the next few weeks for those ‘mermaids purses’ with the aim to use the #Eggcase Hunt app to log my records.

From Strandline to Science: The Journey of a Shark Eggcase

YouTube video by Biological Recording Company

youtu.be

HoverflySpotterM.D @hoverflyspotter.bsky.social · 5d

Hull city shirt also they are known as the tigers both the football club and the hoverfly

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Robin Parker @thegreatskua.bsky.social · 6d

I was surprised to see a European Hornet (Vespa crabro) resting on a pair of jeans pegged to the washing line earlier this afternoon. Unconcerned by my presence, after about 10 minutes, she excreted, waggled her abdomen for a few seconds and then flew off.
#bugsky

A side view of a Hornet sitting on the inside pocket of a pair of jeans pegged to a washing line.

A close-up view of the hornet, facing left.

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Lisa Williams @lisawilliams30.bsky.social · 6d

A gorgeous Volucella zonaria hoverfly from #RSPBMiddletonLakes, 28/09/25 @dipteristsforum.bsky.social #hoverfly #Diptera #fly

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Lisa Williams @lisawilliams30.bsky.social · 6d

Female Helophilus pendulus hoverfly, seen at #RSPBMiddletonLakes, 28/09/25 @dipteristsforum.bsky.social #Diptera #fly #hoverfly

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Dr Jill Whitelock @jillwhitelock.bsky.social · 14d

Hoverfly resurrection. 21 September 1901, @theul.bsky.social Librarian and dipterist Francis Jenkinson recovers a Marmalade hoverfly from a spider’s web, “tightly wound up … which being unwound came to life again in a pill-box by the evening.” #enthist #Diptera #Hoverflies

Francis Jenkinson’s diary entry for Saturday 21 September 1901.

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HoverflySpotterM.D @hoverflyspotter.bsky.social · 6d

Last week I had the UKs largest #hoverflies on my Ivy in garden. Greater Hornet Plumehorn (Volucella zonaria). Click on the link to read more as I delve further into its distribution, mimicry of the European Hornet and its larval biology. hoverflyspotter.blogspot.com/2025/10/hove.... #syrphidae

Hoverfly - Greater Hornet Plumehorn (Volucella zonaria)

The Greater Hornet Plumehorn Hoverfly: A Review of Its Distribution, Mimicry of the European Hornet, and Larval Biology

hoverflyspotter.blogspot.com

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HoverflySpotterM.D @hoverflyspotter.bsky.social · 7d

Super blog post guys check out my latest post with regards a talk on hoverfly migration from Samm as part of an ento l!ve talk Syrph-ing the continents #syrphidae

Reposted by HoverflySpotterM.D

Journal of Animal Ecology @animalecology.bsky.social · 11d

"This study utilises samples from an oil rig operator to determine migratory movements of #hoverflies and the pollen they transport across the North Sea and discuss long-distance #pollination."🛢️
buff.ly/Fqef8XY
@ollypoole.bsky.social
@koralwotton.bsky.social
@ejigu.bsky.social

buff.ly

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Journal of Animal Ecology @animalecology.bsky.social · 12d

🛢️Long-range pollen transport across the North Sea: Insights from migratory hoverflies landing on a remote oil rig ➡️ buff.ly/C6Jp8UK

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HoverflySpotterM.D @hoverflyspotter.bsky.social · 7d

Attended an online talk yesterday from Samm (University of Guelph) Syprh’ing the Continents: Hoverflies, Our Unsung Agricultural Heroes video link below. I find it fascinating that such tiny insects migrate just as birds & butterflies do and the talked inspired me to find out even more. #syrphidae.

Syrph-ing the Continents: Hoverflies, Our Unsung Agricultural Heroes

YouTube video by Biological Recording Company

youtu.be

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HoverflySpotterM.D @hoverflyspotter.bsky.social · 7d

Super find

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Axel Steiner - natur-in-nrw.de @natur-in-nrw.bsky.social · 7d

Die Gemeine Schattenschwebfliege (Baccha elongata) findet man in schattigen und feuchten Lebensräumen, wie Wäldern und an Gewässern. Ihre Larven ernähren sich von Blattläusen.

#artenvielfalt #natur #nature #insekten #insects #Diptera #Schwebfliegen #syrphidae #hoverflies

Seitenansicht einer Baccha elongata Schwebfliege auf einer weißen Blüte. Die Fliege zeigt charakteristische große rote Facettenaugen, einen schwarzen Körper mit orange-braunen Beinen und einen dunkelbraunen Hinterleib mit heller Bänderung. Die transparenten Flügel sind deutlich sichtbar.

Nahaufnahme einer Baccha elongata Schwebfliege von der Seite auf weißen Bärenklau-Blüten. Deutlich erkennbar sind die großen roten Komplexaugen, der metallisch glänzende schwarze Thorax mit gelben Flecken, die transparenten Flügel mit sichtbarer Äderung und die orange-braunen langen Beine.

Detailaufnahme einer Baccha elongata Schwebfliege auf einem grünen Grashalm. Die Fliege ist im Profil zu sehen mit markanten roten Facettenaugen, schwarzem behaarten Körper, transparent schimmernden Flügeln und gelb-orangen Beinen. Der schlanke, längliche Hinterleib mit heller Spitze ist charakteristisch für diese Art.

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Cath Hodsman @cathhodsman.bsky.social · 8d

Did u know? Moths are significant pollinators in our gardens. As they're often nocturnal, they've evolved clever ways of evading predators during the day. The Plume moth hides by folding its wings up like a concertina, so that it looks like a teeny twig, rather than a tasty bird meal. 🌿🌱🇬🇧🌱🌍🪲🦋

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Robin Parker @thegreatskua.bsky.social · 8d

Saw only my second ever Didea fasciata (Pale-knobbed Lucent) hoverfly, in Taunton this morning, with the distinctive “ski goggle” markings on the abdomen.
#bugsky

A male Didea fasciata hoverfly basking on a sunlit leaf. The fly has a pair of yellow markings at the bottom of the abdomen which are said to resemble ski goggles.

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HoverflySpotterM.D @hoverflyspotter.bsky.social · 7d

Attended an online talk yesterday from Samm (University of Guelph) Syprh’ing the Continents: Hoverflies, Our Unsung Agricultural Heroes video link below. I find it fascinating that such tiny insects migrate just as birds & butterflies do and the talked inspired me to find out even more. #syrphidae.

Syrph-ing the Continents: Hoverflies, Our Unsung Agricultural Heroes

YouTube video by Biological Recording Company

youtu.be

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HoverflySpotterM.D @hoverflyspotter.bsky.social · 8d

Hoverflies return to Ivy bush after storm Amy. Common Banded (Syrphus ribesii) and Drone fly (Eristalis tenax) #hoverflies #syrphidae but mainly its full of wasps. The wall facing the sun is covered in Asian Lady Beetles (Harmonia axyridis) all of different varieties.

Common Banded Hoverfly on a Ivy bubil day after Storm Amy

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HoverflySpotterM.D @hoverflyspotter.bsky.social · 9d

Last week I was at a conference in Sheffield, about the #uplands. Listening to passionate speakers debate what needs to be done to restore them #naturewriting, #rewilding, #hoverflies.
See some of my thoughts with brief notes from the main speakers. hoverflyspotter.blogspot.com/2025/10/a-wi...

A scene from the Uplands conference in Sheffield 1-2nd October.

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HoverflySpotterM.D @hoverflyspotter.bsky.social · 10d

Hi All.
I am new to this platform but have heard good things about it so here I am. Staying in from storm Amy with no chance of spotting #hoverflies today, hope they haven't been blown away. Here is a post from my blog site of a hoverfly seen recently. hoverflyspotter.blogspot.com/2025/09/hove...

Yellow-barred Peat Hoverfly (Sericomyia silentis)

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