Syrphidae · žiedmusės

EN · hover flies, flower flies, syrphid flies DE · Schwebfliegen, Stehfliegen, Schwirrfliegen LT · žiedmusės LV · ziedmušas, ziedmušu dzimta PL · bzygowate, bzygi

Most hoverflies males can be by holoptic eyes: left and right compound eyes touching at the top of heads. They are often seen hovering or nectaring at flowers; the adults of many species feed mainly on nectar and pollen. Hover flies are important pollinators of flowering plants in many ecosystems worldwide. The larvae (maggots) eat a wide range of foods. In some species, the larvae are saprotrophs, eating decaying plant and animal matter in the soil or in ponds and streams. In other species, the larvae are insectivores and prey on aphids, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects.