Eristalis pertinax – There are a lot of these around at the moment, hovering in mid-air or just chilling and preening themselve. Double-click to enlarge images.
Your amazing macros have just helped me possibly id some happy garden visitors who have been joining us in our garden for this entire lockdown period. They seem a little bit bigger than normal hoverflies but hover they do, then whizz off. They are friendly and have examined us eyeball to compound eyeball really closely, even landing on my husband. They do a lot of preening too, but are too quick and not in one place long enough to photograph. I had thought they might be aliens in bee bodies sussing out what goes on in Yorkshire gardens.
These hoverflies can really get close to you, or it appears they do, it might be you are occupying their space 🙂 I have had this experience a lot in the garden lately, and these will hover around eye level, whiz off or land and preen. Glad your mystery is solved, Jill 🙂
Great detail!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Sandy 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sure!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Excellent.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you!
LikeLike
Wow so sharp! Nice work Pete!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It was nice it kept still for me to get the shots in 🙂 Thank you, Sandra 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nice detail, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Steve. It great when they sit still and just let you get on with it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My, what big eyes he has! Great photo.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Candice 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your amazing macros have just helped me possibly id some happy garden visitors who have been joining us in our garden for this entire lockdown period. They seem a little bit bigger than normal hoverflies but hover they do, then whizz off. They are friendly and have examined us eyeball to compound eyeball really closely, even landing on my husband. They do a lot of preening too, but are too quick and not in one place long enough to photograph. I had thought they might be aliens in bee bodies sussing out what goes on in Yorkshire gardens.
LikeLiked by 1 person
These hoverflies can really get close to you, or it appears they do, it might be you are occupying their space 🙂 I have had this experience a lot in the garden lately, and these will hover around eye level, whiz off or land and preen. Glad your mystery is solved, Jill 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
So am I. We never ever swipe them away but say hello to them instead.😁
LikeLiked by 1 person