These are small to medium-sized flies that can hover motionless in the air. They usually mimic bees or wasps, often with black and yellow stripes along the abdomen. The proboscis is short, therefore Syrphid flies tend to visit smaller flowers with short nectar tubes in sunny places. At larger flowers, some Syrphid flies feed on stray pollen, while other species are attracted to salty perspiration. These latter species are sometimes called "Sweat Bees," which is a misnomer. Depending on the species, the larvae feed on aphids and other insects, or they may scavenge for dead animal material in moist soil, or they may feed in water that is rich in organic decomposition. There are numerous species in this family. As a group, Syrphid flies are probably the most common and important pollinators of prairie wildflowers among the various families of flies.
 
See: Abbreviations for Insect Activities,   Abbreviations for Scientific Observers,   References for behavioral observations