With bright stripes of yellow and black on its abdomen and being able to mimic the stinging action of a wasp, this fly takes on the appearance more as a wasp or bee than a fly. Look beyond the disguise and you will notice the insect has two wings, while a wasp and bee have four. Take a look at its head; with its fly like eyes, it is now unmistakable that it is a fly.
The movement of these insects can be described more like a helicopter. Hovering in one spot, then darting a short distance and hovering again. When handled, the hover fly will often push the tip of their abdomen into your fingers, however they do not sting.
Often called flower flies, the hover fly is most often seen hovering or nectaring at flowers. They are found throughout Australia living in urban areas. The adult hover fly feeds on nectar as they pollinate the flowers while their larvae (maggots) will feed on pest insects such as aphids and leaf hoppers.
Unlike our common house fly, which loves to spend
time in our kitchen whilst carrying and spreading germs wherever they land, the hover fly is found in and around your garden and can be a great benefit. The hover fly will hang around your various plants and flowers and is nearly as effective as lacewings and ladybugs in killing aphids. With the added bonus of the pollination of your plants these insects are a great assets to your garden.
Whilst we love these hover flies, we don't share the same love for our common house fly that contaminates food and spread disease. With the latest in fly pest control we can now safely remove the common fly from your home. Call today and ask about our highly effective fly control treatment.