![]() Hoverflies and sweat bees are attracted to the saline sweat beads on humans. In some regions, they are also known as baby bees. Sweat bees have dark eyes like yellow jacket wasps, and they are much bigger than hoverflies.Īlso, you will observe that sweat bees have metallic-colored heads. Hoverflies have hairless bodies and comparatively brighter bodies. If you look closely, you will notice sweat bee bodies are covered in a layer of fine hair. If you find small bee-like insects flying around flowers like a drone, it is a hoverfly. They can stay suspended in mid-air and can alter directions at excellent speeds. You can often see hoverflies hovering around bright yellow flowers. The sweat bees have two pairs of wings, which indicates that they belong to the bee family. All the members of the fly families have the same number of wings. Hoverflies only have a single pair of wings. Here are a few differences, including the physical and behavioral traits between the two. Therefore, it is crucial to identify and differentiate these insects. Sweat bees are dangerous and will deliver painful stings. Since hoverflies look similar to bees, it is easy to misidentify sweat bees to be as hoverflies. Like adult hoverflies, sweat bees are attracted to saline water like sweat beads. How To Differentiate Between Hoverfly vs. The drone flies often copy honey bees to steer clear of predators like birds and lizards. This happens because the predators are scared that they might sting and harm them.Īlso, the bright colors indicate that hoverflies taste unpleasant and are not a good meal or snack. Since they look similar to wasps and bees, potential predators avoid attacking them. These insects mimic the appearance and behavior of stinging insects like bees and wasps to stay safe from predators. Various species of hoverflies exhibit an excellent example of Batesian mimicry They are considered highly beneficial as they eliminate aphids and promote pollination. They do so to suck the tiny sweat droplets to obtain moisture and salt.Īs stated above, hoverflies are not at all dangerous. These flies do not possess a stinger and will not harm humans and pets.Īt times you might find them landing on you, especially if you have beads of sweat coming out on a hot summer day. Hoverflies might look like bees, wasps and other stinging insects, but they are pretty much harmless. Some species also have black and yellow markings on their body, making them look quite similar to wasps and bees.Ī healthy adult flower fly can show an average growth of 1/4-3/4 inches and can usually be spotted near aphid colonies, laying eggs.ĭue to their exceptional pest-controlling capacity and pollination services, they are considered beneficial insects. Their body shape is quite similar to bees. Also, since the adults actively consume nectar and pollens, they are considered excellent pollinators. Their larvae are great at hunting and taking down aphid populations. These insects are also called flower flies or syrphid flies. Hoverflies get their names from their tendency to hover around flowers like a drone.
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