Virginia Flower Fly - (Milesia virginiensis)

This harmless woodland Flower Fly doesn't float like a butterfly or sting like a bee, but it behaves a little bit like both of them.

Staff Writer (8/7/2017): Some flies are fantastic mimics of bees, wasps and hornets. The alarming colors mean they are likely to be left alone and not attacked as frequently by predators. This particular species looks like and also flies like Yellowjackets, which are known for aggressive defensive (and offensive) stinging behavior. This Flower Fly hovers over blossoms like wasps and can be easily mistaken for one. Since it is a fly, however, it does not sting and is considered harmless to people. The loud buzzing it makes when it flies is not a characteristic of wasps, but is natural for a fly. This species of fly is actually quite beneficial to have in the garden, like butterflies, because it is also an active pollinator of the flower species it visits, which aids the plant in reproducing. It has a reputation of sometimes hovering by people's heads, as if trying to tell them something. For that reason, it was once known as a 'news bee' because it acted as if it was delivering the daily news. It is an endearing insect and so well-liked that the U.S. Post Office featured them on a postage stamp in 1999 when it showcased insects.

Adults can be found in a variety of habitats ranging from forests and meadows to parks and backyard gardens. Adults are most active during the summer months and can be found around flowers or resting on low shrubs and plants. Larvae (maggots) are likely to be found in rotting wood where they will feed until they develop into flying adults.
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Details of the:
Virginia Flower Fly

Category: Fly or Mosquito
Common name: Virginia Flower Fly
Scientific Name: Milesia virginiensis
Other Names: Hover Fly, News Bee, Yellowjacket Hover Fly, Virginia Flower Fly

Taxonomy:

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Insecta

Order: Diptera

Family: Syrphidae

Genus: Milesia

Species: virginiensis

Size (Adult, Length): 18mm to 21mm (0.71in to 0.83in)

Identifying Colors: black, yellow, orange, red

Additional Descriptors: flying, stripe, band, hover, flower, large, big,

North American Reach (Though Not Limited To*): Alabama; Arkansas; Connecticut; Delaware; Florida; Georgia; Illinois; Indiana; Iowa; Kansas; Kentucky; Louisiana; Maine; Maryland; Massachusetts; Michigan; Minnesota; Mississippi; Missouri; Nebraska; New Hampshire; New Jersey; New York; North Carolina; North Dakota; Ohio; Oklahoma; Pennsylvania; Rhode Island; South Carolina; South Dakota; Tennessee; Texas; Vermont; Virginia; West Virginia; Wisconsin; New Brunswick; Newfoundland and Labrador; Nova Scotia; Ontario; Prince Edward Island; Quebec;

* Keep in mind that an insect's reach is not limited by lines on a map and therefore may appear in areas/regions/states beyond those listed above.

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