Marmalade Hoverfly
(Episyrphus balteatus)
TRUTH: It is not a Bee.
It does not drinks blood.
It does not live only one day.
Why This Tiny Insect Matters
The Marmalade Hoverfly is a small but important ally in nature. Although it is often mistaken for a bee or wasp, it is a harmless fly that helps in two powerful ways: adults visit flowers and support pollination, while their larvae feed on aphids and help keep plant pests under control.
Meet the Marmalade Hoverfly
Conservation status: Least Concern
Endemic: No
Habitat: Gardens, meadows, forests, and urban green spaces
Ecological role: Pollinator and natural pest controller
Lifespan: Usually a few weeks as an adult
Fun fact: Hoverflies can beat their wings hundreds of times per second and remain almost perfectly still in the air.
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