Another unusual garden visitor – the Hoverfly

Welcome back! 

My last blog was in German. I shared with my German readers how I met the Easter Bunny! I was having fun searching and picking up my Easter Eggs in the garden. Suddenly, I found rabbit fur near the last egg. I couldn’t believe my eyes, so I looked again. Then I saw giant rabbit footprints leading to the forest. I ran home and called my friends. My older brother went with us to the forest. We followed the footprints to a narrow path. We found a huuuuge egg. I knocked on the egg, and a door opened. I walked in and couldn’t get out. Later on, the Easter Bunny opened the door and invited all of us to a rabbit and bunny party underground. If you haven’t read it, click here. If you don’t speak German, use your parents’ approved online translator to read the story. Mom said it could be my next book. What do you think? 

In my February blog, I told you about my most unusual garden visitor, the green-red woodpecker, Mr. Picus Viridis. If you missed this adventure, click  here to read it. Today, I will tell you about another unusual garden visitor, the Hoverfly. Before I tell you my story, let me tell you some interesting facts about them. 

The Hoverfly belongs to the Syrphidae insect family.  It is called “Hoverfly” because it hovers about flowers. They are also known as “Flower Fly” and “Predacious Hoverfly.” Wow, that is a big word. Predacious is an animal that eats other animals. For example: T-Rex, lions, weasels, and some birds. Food: The hoverfly larvae feed on soft-bodied insects like aphids. Aphids are small, pear-shaped insects that suck plant sap. You have probably seen them. They are tiny green bugs that make plants sick. When the larvae and adults eat the aphids, it helps to protect plants and save the crops. This is why they are a natural pet control. But adults also feed on the nectar and pollen from flowers. The harmless hoverflies are the second most important pollinator after bees. Habitat: They can live everywhere except in deserts and Antarctica because there is no food for them to eat.

Did you know there are 6,000 species of hoverflies? A family reunion must be buzzy. Ha,ha,ha. Lifespan: They have a short life cycle: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Their lifespan varies with the season: 3 weeks in Summer and 9 weeks in Winter. 

The Hoverfly is a mimicry insect. Mimicry is when an animal looks like another animal or its surroundings. Body: Their body average length is 5-15 mm. The Hoverfly comes in different shapes and sizes. Some of them mimic bees, wasps, or hornets! Today I am telling you about the bee lookalike. The head and one pair of wings look like a fly. Bees have two pairs of wings. They have marbled eyes, and the body is yellow with black stripes, resembling a bee. The one I saw in Mom’s Garden was huge and had a hairy body. Umm, maybe a bumble bee? 

Back to the story. 

Last Summer, I saw some weird-looking flies in Mom’s garden. I ran to my room, grabbed my Explorer’s Backpack, and called Mom. I took out my Explorer’s Magnifying glass to have a good look at it. It kept buzzing around sucking the nectar of the flowers. Then I took out my Explorer’s Camera and took a picture. Uh, a fly that looks like a bumble bee??? I scratched my head and looked at Mom. “Mom, what do you think it is?” “Hm, that is a good question, Joey.” “Mom, you have a book about insects in the garden. Can I borrow it?” “That is a very informative book, Joey. I am sure you will find plenty of information.” 

I took my Explorer’s Journal and documented my findings. Wow, I feel like the famous author and entomologist, Jean-Henri Casimir Fabre. An entomologist is someone who studies insects. Did you know that Bees and Bumblebees, Butterflies, Dragonflies, Hoverflies, and Wasps can hover and fly backwards?   

Do you also have unusual garden visitors? Share your story with me. Send me a message using our Contact Form. Be sure to first ask your parents for permission. Better still write the message together with your parents. I enjoy reading and answering my messages.

All this research and writing made me hungry. It is time for a snack! 

In my next blog, I will tell you about my visit to the Leipzig Book Fair.

Remember to brush your teeth and keep them clean for the Tooth Fairy. 

Joey Paco 

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