It has been cold and rainy these last few days. I have seen few insects on my morning walks in the back woods. Pulling a layer of decaying bark from the remains of a long dead tree, I find an American Hoverfly (Eupeodes americanus) safely protected from the elements.
I normally encounter these flies on warm summer afternoons as I rest on the front porch. They hover near by as if trying to get a better understanding of me. Now, slowed down by the cooler weather, I have a chance to gain a better understanding of them.
American Hoverflies are common throughout North America -- adults feeding on flower nectar, larvae feeding on aphids. They are considered beneficial insects as they provide natural pest control.
In a slight twist of fate, their black and yellow bands mimic certain wasp species and thus protects from predation from birds. They are, however, prayed upon by certain wasp species.
