Tangle-veined Fly vs Hoverfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Tangle-veined Fly Hoverfly
Scientific Name Nemestrina longirostris Episyrphus balteatus
Order Diptera Diptera
Family Nemestrinidae Syrphidae
Size 15-20 mm 7-12 mm
Habitat Heathland Underground
Diet Parasitoids Nectar Feeders
Regions Africa Europe, Asia, Africa
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Tangle-veined Fly

A fly with an extraordinarily long proboscis for feeding from deep tubular flowers.

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Did You Know?

Its proboscis can exceed its body length to reach nectar in long-tubed flowers.

Hoverfly

Excellent Batesian mimics of wasps and bees. Important pollinators often overlooked. Can hover perfectly stationary in mid-air and even fly backwards.

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Did You Know?

Hoverflies are so skilled at hovering that they can maintain their exact position in space even in strong winds, adjusting wing beats up to 300 times per second.