Hoverflies, also known as flower flies or syrphid flies are often mistaken for bees or wasps are a gardener's best friend! They are beneficial insects that are helpful in most stages of life, even before they hatch.
As a larve, they hunt down larve with a vengeful drive! Able to eat hundreds of aphids before they pupate!
As adults, they pollinate flowers as they feed on nectar. They can lay their eggs ON aphids.
When they hatch from their egg, they can eat their way through an aphid, leaving an empty shell behind as they grow and find more aphids to munch on.
Helpful tips:
- Provide a shallow clean water source for them to drink
- They need simple and easy-to-access flowers
- Plenty of shrubs to lay their eggs
- Plant pollen and nectar-rich plants such as Achillea, Lobularia, Leucanthemum, Anemone and Salvia to help feed them
- Squish and don't spray Aphids! They're still a tasty snack even when squished.
Hoverflies within our Nursery:
