Sifting Fly (Episyrphus balteatus)

It is a species of fly in the Syrphidae family.

Its size is 9–12 mm. Like most other serphids, it mimics more dangerous insects, wasps, although it is a fairly harmless species. On the dorsal part of the abdomen it has orange and black bands. Two additional identifying characters are the presence of secondary black bands on the dorsal plates and faint grayish longitudinal stripes on the thorax. As with most syrphids, males can be easily identified by their holoptic eyes, compound eyes, larger than those of the females that touch themselves on the top of the head.

They inhabit gardens, meadows, forest boundaries and paths. They are found in almost all of Europe. They spread throughout the Palearctic region, especially Europe and North Africa. In the eastern direction they extend to Japan, in the southern direction they reach North Africa. It is a migratory species that travels back and forth from northern to southern Europe every year.

The females deposit the eggs next to colonies of aphids. Larvae feed on aphids, adults visit flowers and feed on nectar and pollen.

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