Hoverfly
Agile flies that mimic bee and wasp markings. Adults are important flower visitors and pollinators; many species produce larvae that prey on aphid colonies.
Why you want them
Hoverflies are dual-purpose allies. Adults are effective pollinators that visit a wide range of open flowers and can access smaller flowers than many bees. Several species lay eggs directly inside aphid colonies, and the larvae that hatch consume hundreds of aphids each before pupating. A garden rich in flat, open flowers supports both their pollination and pest-control roles simultaneously.
Helps control
How to attract them
- Phacelia
- Dill
- Sweet alyssum
- Marigold
- Flat-headed umbellifers
- Fennel
- Coriander flower
Preferred habitat
Found wherever flowers grow. Adults bask on warm surfaces and hover in sunlit clearings. Larvae of aphid-predatory species live within aphid colonies on plant stems and leaf undersides.
What harms them
Broad-spectrum insecticides, removal of umbellifer flowers, and reduction of pollen-rich open flowers in the garden.
Related pest guides
Garden, by Willowbottom works with nature, not against it. Support your garden allies and they will do most of the hard work for you.