TECHNICALLY they are flies, but the little yellow and black insects buzzing around Wagga in big numbers this week are not bad, mean or mighty unclean.
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In fact, they are good for the garden.
A number of people have commented on the flies, which Department of Primary Industries entomologist at Yanco, Dr Mark Stevens, identified as a hover fly after The Daily Advertiser emailed him a photo of one of the insects caught in a Wagga office.
“Definitely a hover fly, and almost certainly the common hover fly Melangyna viridiceps,” Dr Stevens said.
“The adult flies feed on nectar and pollen, which is why they’re often seen hovering over flowers.
“The larvae are predatory and feed predominantly on aphids and other small insects, so these are definitely a good thing to have around.
“The flies do not bite and do not transmit disease.”
Dr Stevens said hover flies were native insects and were fairly widespread across eastern Australia.
“Why are there so many? The short answer is ‘don’t know’, but it’s not uncommon for this to happen,” Dr Stevens said.
He said it could be that the good growing season had led to an increase in the number of aphids, providing hover fly larvae with a plentiful food source.
“The big numbers (of hover flies) that do occur generally don’t last for more than a few weeks, at tops,” Dr Stevens said.
