Four-banded Flower Fly

Scientific Name: Syrphus ribesii

Order & Family: Order Diptera, Family Syrphidae

Size: 10 - 12 mm in length

Four-banded Flower Fly

Natural Habitat

Gardens, meadows, woodlands, and areas with abundant flowering plants.

Diet & Feeding

Adults feed on pollen and nectar from flowers. Larvae are predatory and primarily eat aphids.

Behavior Patterns

Active during the day, they are known for their ability to hover in place before darting away. They mimic the appearance of wasps (Batesian mimicry) as a defense mechanism, despite having no sting.

Risks & Benefits

They are highly beneficial to ecosystems and gardens. As adults, they are important pollinators, and as larvae, they act as effective natural pest control by consuming aphids.

Identified on: 4/17/2026