Thick-legged Flower Beetle vs Hover Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Thick-legged Flower Beetle Hover Fly
Scientific Name Oedemera nobilis Syrphus ribesii
Order Coleoptera Diptera
Family Oedemeridae Syrphidae
Size 8-12mm 10-13 mm
Habitat Underground Underground
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Europe Europe, Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Thick-legged Flower Beetle

A metallic green beetle with splayed elytra that expose the wings. Males have distinctively swollen hind femora.

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Did You Know?

Despite being an important pollinator this beetle is often mistaken for a green fly due to its shiny metallic color.

Hover Fly

A bright yellow and black banded hoverfly that is an excellent wasp mimic. It hovers motionless in sunbeams before darting to a new position with extraordinary agility.

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Did You Know?

Hoverflies are the only insects besides hummingbirds and hawk-moths that can truly hover in one spot, fly backward, and fly sideways with precision.