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Australian Wildlife

  Common Hover Fly (Melangyna viridiceps)





Common Hover Fly | Melangyna viridiceps photo
A common hoverfly, Melangyna viridiceps, perched on a blade of grass, Swifts Creek, Victoria

Image by Fir0002/Flagstaffotos - GNU Free Documentation License.    (view image details)







COMMON HOVER FLY FACTS

Identification
The Common Hover Fly is a slim bodied fly with reddish brown eyes, dark thorax and black and yellow banded abdomen. The larvae is brownish grub. This fly is sometimes mistaken for a wasp.

Other Names
Flower Fly

Size
15 mm

Habitat
various habitats including parks, gardens, woodland

Food
Adult flies feed on nectar and pollen, and can be seen hovering over flowers before landing.

Breeding
Female flies lay eggs on leaves. The eggs hatch into grubs like maggots which feed on aphids

Range
Melangyna viridiceps is found in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania.



Classification
Class:Insecta
Order:Diptera
Family:Syrphidae
Genus:Melangyna
Species:viridiceps
Common Name:Common Hover Fly