Hoverflies

[JBR]

I have managed to photograph a hoverfly on some of our garden's flowers.
I'm sure it is a hoverfly, rather than a bee, due to its wing-shape and that it has only one pair of wings rather than a bee which has two pairs.
What I find interesting is that it has what look like pollen baskets on its hind legs, like those of a bee.
I was unaware that hoverflies have such things and, having looked on appropriate web sites, I have not seen any pictures of hoverflies with such things.
If anyone is interested, have you seen anything like this?

Sorry.  Tried several times to attach a photograph, but can't do it!

[Dextrous63]

Have you tried postimages JB?

[JBR]

Have you tried postimages JB?

No.  I use Adobe Photoshop.  I could try cropping the image if this site limits image size.  The image I'm trying to post is 1.94Mb and a jpeg.  I'm not sure whether this forum limits image size.

[JBR]

[Dextrous63]

Nice one.  And well figured out😊

[JBR]

Nice one.  And well figured out😊

Thanks.  If those things really are pollen baskets, I am very surprised that hoverflies do collect pollen.  Do they use it as food for their offspring in the same way as bees and in an organised way with a 'queen'?

[klondike]

It kooks a lot like a bee to me. Will check with ChatGPT.


It was the hairy that I spotted as hoverflies aren't. This ChatGPT answer mentions that and the number of wings business.

what are the visual differences between bees and hover flies
ChatGPT said:

Bees and hoverflies can look deceptively similar, since hoverflies mimic bees and wasps for protection, but there are several visual differences you can use to tell them apart at a glance:

1. Eyes

Bees: Smallish, oval eyes on the sides of the head, with a clear gap between them.

Hoverflies: Very large, compound eyes that often take up most of the head and can nearly meet in the middle (especially in males).

2. Antennae

Bees: Long, thin antennae, usually visibly segmented.

Hoverflies: Short, stubby antennae (often just a tiny knob or bristle).

3. Wings

Bees: Four wings (two pairs), though the back pair can be hard to see as they hook together in flight.

Hoverflies: Only two wings (one pair, because they're true flies). You'll often see them held out flat or buzzing rapidly while hovering.

4. Flight pattern

Bees: Direct, purposeful flight; don't hover much.

Hoverflies: Can hover in one spot like a tiny drone, then dart sideways suddenly.

5. Body shape

Bees: Hairy, often fuzzy bodies (to trap pollen), with a "waist" but not an extreme pinch. Hind legs may look chunky with pollen baskets.

Hoverflies: Usually smoother, shinier, and less hairy. Bodies often more slender, with a distinct narrow waist.

6. Colouring

Bees: Brownish, golden, sometimes with black stripes but fuzzier overall. Colours look more matte.

Hoverflies: Brighter yellow-and-black stripes, often very crisp and wasp-like. Shiny appearance.

7. Mouthparts

Bees: Chewing mouthparts with a proboscis that folds out to drink nectar.

Hoverflies: Just a short proboscis for sipping – much less visible.

✅ Quick trick in the garden:
If it hovers like a helicopter and has big fly eyes with short antennae, it's a hoverfly.
If it looks fuzzy, carries pollen, and never hovers still, it's a bee.

August 16, 2025, 07:11:13 PM

if this site limits image size

Attachment size is limited as is their lifetime as a maintenance routine purges older ones, I forget what options I set for either but do recall that the mothership had a perpetually full upload space certainly up til when I got banned.

The dimensions mostly get resized automatically these days because that functionality was essential for mobiles. That means large images aren't as annoying as they used to be. It's still better to reduce size and increase compression though as modern cameras produce far larger images than are useful for websites as they just load slower and look no better.

I pointed out to Mups earlier that there is a tutorial on posting images in the Hints and Tips section.

[GrannyMac]

Great photo JBR, whatever species it is.

[klondike]

I downloaded the original from Postimages then cropped it to just the wing, enlarged and sharpened it up...



You can see the two wings which are hooked together. The  top of the lower one can just be seen through the top one,

[JBR]

Great photo JBR, whatever species it is.

Thanks, Granny.

Thanks for all that info., Klon.  This specimen I photographed, going by all of that information, seems to have similarities of both bees and hoverflies.  I thought at the time that the wings were single on each side, but I can see the possibility of smaller hind wings hiding below the forewings.  The eyes, however, fit more the description of hoverflies.  I also thought at the time that its size was rather small for a bee.  I didn't see a proboscis, but I suppose it could have been very small.

Edit: Yes, thanks Klon.  You are quite correct about the wings.  I'm trying to search if I have a history of sending online messages.
However, I have submitted the picture to an online organisation which might make an informed decision.  Unfortunately, having looked at so many, I can't remember the name.

Yes, I think it was: https://www.naturespot.org/gallery/hoverflies

[Alex]

Cracking photo JB 

[JBR]

Cracking photo JB 

Thanks.  It was only my smartphone!

[Michael Rolls]

great photo, but the hoverflies with which I am familiar have much more slender bodies and look more like a skinny wasp

[JBR]

Thanks all.  I'm now quite convinced that this was a bee.  Quite small for a bee, going by what I have seen before, but I suppose there are many different types.
Clearly, it was collecting pollen, and I'm very happy they have found what they want.  On the other hand, I'm now quite interested in where their nest might be.  I certainly haven't seen anything resembling a nest on our land, but perhaps I might have a poke around now, not that I'm going to interfere of course but I'd find it interesting nonetheless.

[klondike]

Of course I only saw the photo so have no idea of the size but there are many species of bees. I came across some solitary ones once that live in little holes in the ground. They are solitary and I have it in mind that they are called miner bees but may have misremembered.