Hoverfly on Newington Green

Hoverfly ~ Myathropa florea

This syrphid, or hoverfly, which was found on the trunk of one of the plane trees on Newington Green, mimics the honey bee but is completely harmless, despite looking somewhat like a bee or wasp.

A woodland species, this hoverfly's larva has a microhabitat in pools of surface water that form in mature trees in the junctions between the trunk and branches. The larvae (called rat-tailed maggots!) feed on organisms produced by dead leaves and detritus that fall into water-filled hollows in the trees and on any aerial pollens that get caught in the tree bark. This would suggest that the large old plane trees on Newington Green, with their numerous holes and flaky bark, offer this syphid a suitable habitat. The adult hoverfly feeds on the nectar from various flowers.

Thanks to Dr Martin C D Speight for identifying this hoverfly.

10 October 2009