Laurent Geslin / Shining-faced drone fly / hover fly (Eristalis tenax) male feeding on garden flower, UK

Laurent Geslin / Shining-faced drone fly / hover fly (Eristalis tenax) male on garden flower, ox-eye daisy, UK

Kim Taylor / Drone / Hover Fly (Eristalis tenax) female against a white background. Surrey, UK, May.

Stephen Dalton / Hoverfly (Eristalis tenax) taking off from Snapdragon flower, UK

Stephen Dalton / Drone fly (Eristalis similis) in flight over summer bedding flowers, England, UK

Stephen Dalton / Dronefly (Eristalis similis) taking off from Snapdragon (Antirrhinum) flower, UK

Stephen Dalton / Hoverfly (Eristalis tenax) flying into spider's web, UK

Kim Taylor / Male hoverfly hovering {Eristalis sp.} Europe.

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

Alan Williams / Hoverfly (Helophilus trivittatus) pair mating on Ox-eye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare) flower. Cheshire, England, UK. June.

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.

Heather Angel / Narcissus bulb fly / Greater bulb fly (Merodon equestris), a bumblebee mimic, using probsocis to feed on pollen of Woolly rock rose (Halimium lasianthum). Purple blotches guide pollinators to reward.

Heather Angel / Narcissus fly (Merodon equestris) male nectaring on Rock rose (Cistus x hybridus) in garden, Surrey, England, UK.

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

Rod Williams / Hoverfly (Eristalis horticola) feeding on field bindweed Brockley Cemetery, Lewisham, London, England, UK. August.

Paul Bertner / Drone Fly (Eristalis tenax), Hitoy Cerere Biological Reserve, Costa Rica

Rod Williams / Hoverfly (Eristalis arbustorum) grooming, Brockley Cemetry, Lewisham, England, UK. August.

Rod Williams / Large narcissus fly (Meredon equestris) Sutcliffe Park, Eltham, London, England, UK. June.

Rod Williams / Hoverfly (Eristalis intricarius) male feeding on creeping thistle Brockley Cemetery, Lewisham, London, England, UK, July.

Rod Williams / Hoverfly (Eristalis arbustorum) feeding on field bindweed, Brockley Cemetery, Lewisham, London, England, UK. July.

Phil Savoie / Bumblebee mimic hoverfly (Eristalis intricarius) feeding on Grey willow (Salix cinerea) pollen, Monmouthshire, Wales, UK, April.

Will Watson / Hoverfly (Eristalis arbustorum) on Ivy flower (Hedera helix), Weir Garden, Kenchester, England, UK. October.

Will Watson / Side view of the Hoverfly (Eristalis nemorum) on Ivy flower, The Weir Garden, Kenchester, Herefordshire, England, UK. November 2016.

Will Watson / Tapered dronefly (Eristalis pertinax), female on Ivy flower (Helix hedera), Herefordshire Plateau, England, UK, November.

Stephen Dalton / Hoverfly (Eristalis sp) taking-off, Rookery Wood, Sussex, England, UK, November.

Stephen Dalton / Hoverfly (Eristalis sp) in flight, Rookery Wood, Sussex, England, UK, September.

Dave Bevan / European hoverfly (Eristalis pertinax) nectaring on a dahlia flower, Carmarthenshire, Wales, UK. September.

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 / Small copper butterfly (Lycaena phlaeas), Mint moth (Pyrausta aurata) and Hoverfly (Eristalis nemorum / interruptus) nectaring on Wild marjoram flowers (Origanum vulgare), Wiltshire, England, UK, Aug...

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

Nick Upton / Hoverfly (Eristalis nemorum) and Greenbottle (Lucilia) nectaring on Wild marjoram (Origanum vulgare) flowers in a chalk grassland meadow, Wiltshire, England, UK, August.

Nick Upton / Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus) and Small heath (Coenonympha pamphilus) butterflies and Hoverflies (Eristalis sp.) nectaring on Wild marjoram (Origanum vulgare) flowers, Wiltshire, England, UK, August.

Nick Upton / Chalkhill blue (Polyommatus coridon) and Square spot dronefly (Eristalis nemorum) nectaring on Wild marjoram flowers (Origanum vulgare) 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.

Nick Upton / Brown argus (Aricia agestis) butterfly and Square spot drone fly (Eristalis interruptus) nectaring from Wild marjoram (Origanum vulgare) flowers in a chalk grassland meadow, Wiltshire, England, UK, Au...

Kim Taylor / Narcissus Bulb Fly (Merodon equestris) mating pair. Surrey, England

Rod Williams / Large Narcissus fly (Merodon equestris) female with rare colour variation, Hutchinson's Bank, New Addington, London, UK June

Rod Williams / Hoverfly (Eristalis intricaria) female, a Bumble Bee mimic, Brockley Cemetery, Lewisham, London, UK July

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

Nick Upton / Bumblebee-mimicking Hoverfly (Eristalis intricarius) feeding on Ceanothus flowers in a garden planted with flowers to attract pollinators, Dungeness, Kent, UK.

Nick Upton / Sunfly (Helophilus trivittatus) nectaring on Common comfrey flowers (Symphytum officinale) in a patch planted by the Bumblebee Conservation Trust on farmland, Romney Marshes, Suffolk, 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 / Greater bulb-fly (Merodon equestris) a bumblebee mimic, on Ox-eye daisy Brockley Cemetery, Lewisham, London, UK. May

Rod Williams / Greater Bulb-fly (Merodon equestris) Bumblebee mimic Stave Hill Ecology Park, May

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

Andy Sands / Hoverfly (Chrysogaster solstitalis) this hoverfly has extremely large eyes that are characteristic of the species, pictured on wild parsnip, Buckinghamshire, England, UK, July

Stephen Dalton / Hoverfly (Eristalis arbustorum) on Hemp Agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum) Sussex, UK

Stephen Dalton / Hoverfly (Eristalis arbustorum) taking off from Hemp Agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum) Sussex, UK

Nick Upton / Female Narcissus bulb fly / Large narcissus fly (Merodon equestris ) a mimic of the Red-tailed bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius) nectaring on Sea thrift (Armeria maritima) on a cliff top, Cornwall, UK, Ma...

Rod Williams / Large narcissus fly (Merodon equestris) covered in pollen, a bumblebee mimic, Hutchinson's Bank, New Addington, London, England, July.

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

Rod Williams / Female Narcissus bulb / Large narcissus fly (Merodon equestris) on thistle, Sutcliffe Park Nature Reserve, Eltham, London, England, June.

Alan Williams / Hoverfly (Eristalis pertinax) feeding on Bramble (Rubus fruticosus) flower at edge of woodland Cheshire, England, UK, July.

Alan Williams / Hoverfly (Helophilus trivittatus) feeding on Cotoneaster flower in garden, Cheshire, England, UK, June.

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.

Stephen Dalton / Hoverfly (Eristalis nemorum) pair in coutrship, Sussex, England, UK. August.

Stephen Dalton / Hoverfly (Eristalis) flying over seeding Willow herb. Sussex, England, UK. September.

Stephen Dalton / Hoverfly (Eristalis) in flight, Sussex, England, UK. August.

Stephen Dalton / Hoverfly (Eristalis) in flight. Sussex, England, UK. September.

Rod Williams / Hoverfly (Eristalis arbustorum) dark form, on flower, Sutcliffe Park Nature Reserve, Eltham, London, UK, September.

Rod Williams / Hoverfly (Eristalis pertinax) on leaf, Brockley cemetery, Lewisham, London, UK, October.

Alex Hyde / Hoverfly (Eristalis horticola) feeding on Devil's-bit scabious (Succisa pratensis) Strumpshaw Fen, Norfolk, UK, September.

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

Rod Williams / Female tapered hoverfly (Eristalis pertinax) Showing ovipositor Brockley cemetery.Lewisham, London, England, UK. April

Rod Williams / Hoverfly (Eristalis pertinax) Hutchinson's Bank, New Addington, South London, England, UK, April

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

Robin Chittenden / Hoverfly (Eristalis intricarius) male on knapweed, Norfolk, England, UK, July.

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

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

Stephen Dalton / Hoverfly (Chrysogaster solstitialis) Sussex, England, August.

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

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

Stephen Dalton / Hoverfly (Eristalis pertinax) 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.

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

Stephen Dalton / Hoverfly (Chrysogaster solstitialis) in flight, Sussex, England, UK, August.

Stephen Dalton / Hoverfly (Chrysogaster solstitialis) feeding on hogweed nectar, Sussex, England, UK, August.

Rod Williams / Narcissus / Greater bulb fly (Merodon equestris) feeding on ragwort, Lewisham, London, 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.

Nick Upton / Hoverfly (Eristalis intricarius) female feeding on Greater knapweed flower (Centaurea scabiosa) in chalk grassland meadow with stand of Wild marjoram (Origanum vulgare) in the background, Wiltshire, U...

Rod Williams / Tapered hoverfly (Eristalis pertinax) Lewisham, London, September

Laurent Geslin / Shining-faced drone fly / hover fly (Eristalis tenax) male feeding on garden flower, UK

Rod Williams / Drone Fly (Eristalis tenax) Lewisham, London, August

Rod Williams / Bumblebee-mimic Hoverfly (Eristalis intricarius) Lewisham, London, September

Paul Harcourt Davies / Hoverfly (Eristalis arbustorum) feeding, with beetle, near Lago di Mezzano, Latera, Lazio, Italy, July

Paul Harcourt Davies / Hoverfly (Eristalis arbustorum) feeding, near Lago di Mezzano, Latera, Lazio, Italy, July

Nick Upton / Hoverfly (Eristalis intricarius) male feeding on flowering Wild marjoram (Origanum vulgare) chalk grassland meadow, Wiltshire, UK, July

Rod Williams / Drone Fly (Eristalis Tenax) feeding on nectar of Ivy flower, South London, UK, October

Rod Williams / Drone fly (Eristalis Tenax) feeding on nectar of Ivy flower, South London, UK, October