Marmalade Hoverfly

Let’s Have Some Marmalade!

05/1805/18Posted in Animals, Animals (Invertebrates), Garden, Garden Flowers, Garden Pond, Hoverflies, Insect Macro, Insects, Macro Photography, Nature Photography, Photography, True Flies, Wildlife PhotographyTagged Episyrphus balteatus, Garden, Garden Flowers, Garden Pond, Hoverflies, Insect Macro, Insects, Macro, Macro Photography, Marmalade Hoverfly, Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus, Nature, Nature Photography, True Flies, Wildlife, Wildlife Photography29 Comments

By pure coincidence as I was photographing the garden pond for the previous blog to my joy I had this delightful little visitor alight on the Yellow Flag Iris.

It is called the Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus, and I had to do quite the balancing act, getting my socks wet more than once, to get these photos as it had landed on the Iris which is growing in the pond.

At first it appeared to be feeding or drinking water droplets from the flower, but it was also giving its back legs a good washing.

Whatever it was doing it certainly brightened up this rainy, grey leaden day for me 🙂

Click once to expand view, click again to get that little bit closer

May 2018, garden pond, rear garden, Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman Sigma 18-300mm with AML72-01 achromatic macro lens and Sigma 105mm macro lens. Yep, it even gave me time to change lenses between shots.

Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus) IV

03/17Posted in Animals, Animals (Invertebrates), Hoverflies, Insects, Macro Photography, Nature Photography, Photography, True Flies, Wildlife PhotographyTagged Diptera, Episyrphus balteatus, Flies, Hoverflies, Insects, Macro, Macro Photography, Marmalade Hoverfly, Nature, Nature Photography, Syrphidae, True Flies, Wildlife, Wildlife Photography4 Comments

Another insect was attracted to the early spring sweet offering from the Lesser Celadine. Another fly, with the delightful name of the Marmalade Hoverfly.

Making The Most of The Fading Blossoms

11/1611/16Posted in Animals, Animals (Invertebrates), Hoverflies, Insects, Nature Photography, True Flies, Wildlife PhotographyTagged Diptera, Episyrphus balteatus, Flies, Hoverflies, Hoverfly, Macro, Macro Photography, Marmalade Hoverfly, Nature, Nature Photography, True Flies, Wildlife, Wildlife Photography6 Comments

Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)

Early November and this hoverfly is making the most of the fading rose blooms.

Photograph of Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus) taken November 2016, rear garden, Staffordshire. © Pete Hillman 2016. Camera used Nikon D7200, with Nikon 18-55mm lens. Manual setting ISO 100. 1/200 sec. f/6.3. No flash, hand-held.

More Marmalade

09/16Posted in Animals, Animals (Invertebrates), Hoverflies, Insects, Nature Photography, True FliesTagged Diptera, Episyrphus balteatus, Flies, Fly, Hoverflies, Hoverfly, Insects, Macro, Macro Photography, Marmalade Hoverfly, Nature, Nature Photography, Syrphidae, Wildlife, Wildlife Photography8 Comments

Photographs of Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus), taken July 2015, rear garden , Staffordshire. © Pete Hillman 2015. Camera used Nikon D3200, with Sigma 105mm macro lens.

06/1606/16Posted in Hoverflies, Insects, Nature Photography, True FliesTagged Diptera, Episyrphus balteatus, Hoverflies, Hoverfly, Insects, Macro, Macro Photography, Marmalade Hoverfly, Nature, Nature Photography, Syrphidae, True Flies, Wildlife Photography2 Comments

Episyrphus balteatus

A strikingly marked yellow and black striped hoverfly which I came across feeding on the nectar of a thistle on the edge of a local field. These adults grow up to 15mm long.

The terrestrial larvae feed on aphids, and the adults feed on nectar.

Seen March to November, and found almost anywhere, including hedgerows and gardens. One of the commonest and most widespread of Britain’s hoverflies, and can appear as migrants in huge swarms.