Syrphid flies, commonly known as flower or hover flies, resemble bees. The brightly colored adults are black or brown adorned with yellow banded abdomens and body markings. The broad head is about the width of the abdomen or wider and has large eyes with distinct antennae.
The larvae of syrphids differ in appearance according to the environment where they feed. Larvae of most species are maggot like without true legs and taper towards the head. Coloration is commonly brown, greenish, pink, or whitish.
It’s the larvae that are the predators, while adults feast on pollen and nectar and their movement from flower to flower makes them an important pollinator. Most species are predaceous, with aphids and mealybugs as favorites, while some syrphids prey on ants, caterpillars, froghoppers, scales, other insects, or mites.