Phil Savoie / Common dronefly (Eristalis tenax), feeding on Ox-eye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare), Monmouthshire, Wales, UK. May

Nigel Cattlin / Drone fly (Eristalis tenax), a bee mimic, on leaf. England, UK.

Heather Angel / Drone fly (Eristalis tenax) nectaring on Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis), pollen on body. Surrey, England, UK. February.

Heather Angel / Common drone fly (Eristalis tenax) nectaring on Winter aconite (Eranthis hyemalis). Surrey, England, UK.. February.

Rod Williams / A mating pair of drone flies (Eristalis tenax), Brockley Cemetery, Lewisham, England, June

Nick Upton / Green-veined white butterfly (Pieris napi) nectaring on and flying around Saw-wort (Serratula tinctoria) flowers, with a Drone fly (Eristalis tenax) also landing briefly, Lower Woods Gloucestershire W...

Nick Upton / Close up of a Drone fly (Eristalis tenax) nectaring on a Greater knapweed (Centaurea scabiosa) flower, Wiltshire, England, UK, July.

Nick Upton / Drone fly (Eristalis tenax) nectaring on Bramble flowers (Rubus plicatus), Lower Woods Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust reserve, England, UK, July.

Alex Hyde / Tapered drone fly (Eristalis pertinax) on Ivy (Hedera helix) flowers. Peak District National Park, Derbyshire, UK, November.

Nick Upton / Common drone fly (Eristalis tenax) nectaring on Wild marjoram (Origanum vulgare) flowers in a chalk grassland meadow, Wiltshire, England, UK, August.

Nick Upton / Red-tailed bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius) and a Common drone fly (Eristalis tenax) nectaring from Wild marjoram (Origanum vulgare) flowers in a chalk grassland meadow, Wiltshire, England, UK, August.

Rod Williams / Drone fly (Eristalis tenax) a Honey-bee mimic, Brockley Cemetery, Lewisham, London, UK June

Nick Upton / Drone fly (Eristalis sp.) nectaring on Common hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium) on hillside once used as a dumping ground, cleared of scrub to improve habitat for bees and other pollinators for Buglife'...

Rod Williams / Drone fly (Eristalis tenax) Brockley Cemetery, Lewisham, London, UK. June

Brent Stephenson / Male Common drone fly (Eristalis tenax) on a Variegated / Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) flower, Cape Kidnappers, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand, November.

Alex Hyde / Drone fly (Eristalis tenax) feeding on Ivy flowers (Hedera helix). Surrey, UK. October.

Georgette Douwma / Drone Fly (Eristalis tenax), close up of compound eyes. UK.

Alex Hyde / Drone fly (Eristalis tenax) feeding on Ivy (Hedera helix) flowers. Peak District National Park, Derbyshire, UK, November.

Kim Taylor / Hoverfly / Drone fly (Eristalis tenax) male hovering, searching for females. Surrey, England, April.

Stephen Dalton / Hoverfly (Eristalis tenax) male, Sussex, England, UK, August.

Stephen Dalton / Dronefly (Eristais tenax) showing curved tibia and bands of hairs on eyes charactersitic of this species, Sussex, England, UK, August.

Nick Upton / Two female Drone flies (Eristalis tenax) laying eggs in a damp hollow log at the margin of a pond, Wiltshire, UK, May.

Will Watson / Male Dronefly (Eristalis tenax) and Common copperback hoverfly (Ferdinandea cuprea) on Corn sow-thistle (Sonchus arvensis) flower, Herefordshire, England, UK. September.

Will Watson / Female Drone fly (Eristalis tenax) nectaring on Grey sallow (Salix cinerea) catkin, Herefordshire, England, UK. March.

Will Watson / Female Drone fly (Eristalis tenax) and Greater bee fly (Bombylius major) nectaring on Grey sallow (Salix cinerea) catkins, Herefordshire, England, UK. March.

John Waters / Drone Fly (Eristalis tenax) visiting Pear (Pyrus) blossom in garden, Bristol, UK, March.

John Waters / Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris) with Drone fly (Eristalis tenax) active in background, Bristol, UK, March.

John Waters / Drone fly (Eristalis tenax) on flower of Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris), Bristol, UK, March.

John Waters / Drone fly (Eristalis tenax) on flower of Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris), Bristol, UK, March.

David Pike / Drone fly (Eristalis tenax) male on umbilifer flower, Exeter Canal, Devon, England. September.

David Pike / Drone fly (Eristalis tenax) male on umbilifer flower, Exeter Canal, Devon, England. September.