Four-banded Flower Fly
Scientific Name: Syrphus ribesii
Order & Family: Order Diptera, Family Syrphidae
Size: 10 - 12 mm in length

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