Monroe County Master Gardener Association

Our member who wrote the article sent me this addendum:

Hover Fly on Dianthus

Ever since the “If You Plant It, They Will Come” article was posted last week on the Blog, the bee-creature’s identity has been bugging me (pun intended). So, putting my Master Gardener research-based curiosity to work, I learned this isn’t a bee at all, but rather, a fly.

The Toxomerus marginatus Hover Fly, or “Flower Fly,” is a common Hover Fly that frequents garden flowers and is a significant pollinator. These flies resemble bees and wasps because of their colored bands, but they do not bite or sting. Adults feed on the nectar from flowers, and the larva feed on aphids. You can find the adult flies feeding on alyssum, bachelor’s button, calendula, cosmos, dill, lavender, lemon balm, marigold, penstemon, parsley, yarrow, and zinnia.

Note the pink and green iridescence of the wings, and the transparency of those wings that allows the jagged petals of the Dianthus to show right through the wings. I thought the image was worthy of another (closer) look since I did not notice these characteristics of the wings when I first shot the picture for use in the original “If you plant it….” article.