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Hoverfly (Eristalis arbustorum)
This hover fly was very busy cleaning itself while I watched on, I can only think it had been caught in a web as it was furiously cleaning itself from head to toe!! It was clinging on to an green tomato in the polytunnel, where there are plenty of webs. The hoverfly is another great predator of aphids, so very important.
Notice the long tongue!
"Eristalis arbustorum" is a European species of hoverfly. The size of the coloured patches on the abdomen varies with larval rearing temperature, as does wing length. They are attracted to the flowers of cow parsley, common hogweed, creeping thistle and knapweed.
Similar species: True Flies
By Bridget Charity Rendall
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Uploaded Oct 10, 2012. Captured in Barton Ln, Exeter, Devon EX2, UK.
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