Eristalinus taeniops (Hover fly)

These little creatures are also called Flower Flies or Sweet Bees, and as their other common names suggest they are often seen hovering around flowers and also feeding on flower nectar. Some of these flies mimic the appearance of bees, however they do not sting or bite.

​Adult hover flies feed on flower nectar and help pollinate some crops, but it is the larvae that are important predators in the garden. The tiny, nearly invisible slug-like larvae scour the undersides of plant leaves for aphids, and eat them as their primary food source.