Editing Hoverfly (section)

==Pollination==

[[File:Hoverfly October 2007-21.jpg|thumb|''Episyrphus balteatus'' on a daisy]]

[[File:ComputerHotline - Syrphidae sp. (by) (3).jpg|thumb|''Eupeodes corollae'']]

Hoverflies are important [[pollinators]] of flowering plants in many ecosystems worldwide.<ref name="Larson 2001 439–465">{{cite journal|last1=Larson|first1=B.M.H. |last2=Kevan |first2=P.G. |last3=Inouye|first3=D. W.|title=Flies and flowers: taxonomic diversity of anthophiles and pollinators.|journal=Canadian Entomologist |year=2001 |volume=133 |issue=4 |pages=439–465 |doi=10.4039/ent133439-4 |s2cid=55767580 }}</ref> Syrphid flies are frequent flower visitors to a wide range of wild plants, as well as agricultural crops, and are often considered the second-most important group of pollinators after wild [[bees]]. Relatively little research into fly pollinators has been conducted, compared to bees.<ref name="Larson 2001 439–465" /> Bees are thought to be able to carry a greater volume of pollen on their bodies, but flies may be able to compensate for this by making a greater number of flower visits.{{cn|date=February 2025}}

Like many pollinator groups, syrphid flies range from species that take a [[generalist and specialist species|generalist]] approach to foraging by visiting a wide range of plant species through those that specialize in a narrow range of plants.<ref>{{Cite journal |doi=10.1111/plb.12328 |pmid=25754608 |title=Competition for pollinators and intra-communal spectral dissimilarity of flowers |journal=Plant Biology |volume=18 |issue=1 |pages=56–62 |year=2015 |last1=Van Der Kooi |first1=C. J. |last2=Pen |first2=I. |last3=Staal |first3=M. |last4=Stavenga |first4=D. G. |last5=Elzenga |first5=J. T. M. |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/273158762}}</ref> Although hoverflies are often considered mainly nonselective pollinators, some hoverflies species are highly selective and carry pollen from one plant species.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Haslett |first=J.R. |title=Interpreting patterns of resource utilization: randomness and selectivity in pollen feeding by adult hoverflies |journal=Oecologia |year=1989 |volume=78 |issue=4 |pages=433–442 |doi=10.1007/bf00378732 |pmid=28312171 |bibcode=1989Oecol..78..433H |s2cid=9178645}}</ref> ''Cheilosia albitarsis'' is thought to only visit ''Ranunculus repens''.{{cn|date=February 2025}}

Specific flower preferences differ among species, but syrphid fly species have repeatedly been shown to prefer white- and yellow-coloured flowers.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Sajjad|first1=Asif|last2=Saeed|first2=Shafqat|title=Floral host plant range of syrphid flies (Syrphidae: Diptera) under natural conditions in southern punjab, Pakistan.|journal=Pakistan Journal of Biology|year=2010|volume=42 |issue=2|pages=1187–1200}}</ref> Nonvisual flower cues such as olfactory cues also help these flies to find flowers, especially those that are not yellow.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Primante|first1=Clara|last2=Dotterl|first2=Stefan|title=A syrphid fly uses olfactory cues to find a non-yellow flower.|journal=Journal of Chemical Ecology|year=2010|volume=36 |issue=11|pages=1207–1210|doi=10.1007/s10886-010-9871-6|pmid=20924654|s2cid=23245484}}</ref> Many syrphid fly species have short, unspecialized mouth parts and tend to feed on flowers that are more open as the nectar and pollen can be easily accessed.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Campbell|first1=Alistair, J. |last2=Biesmeijer |first2=J. C. |last3=Varma |first3=V. |last4=Wakers |first4=F. L. |title=Realising multiple ecosystem services based on the response of three beneficial insect groups to floral traits and trait diversity |journal=Basic and Applied Ecology |year=2012 |volume=13 |issue=4 |pages=363–370 |doi=10.1016/j.baae.2012.04.003}}</ref>

Also, a number of interactions occur between orchids and hoverflies. The orchid species ''[[Epipactis veratrifolia]]'' mimics alarm [[pheromone]]s of aphids which attracts pollinating hoverflies.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Stokl|first=Johannes|author2=Brodmann|author3=Dafni|author4=Ayasse|author5=Hansson|title=Smells like aphids: orchid flowers mimic aphid alarm pheromones to attract hoverflies for pollination.|journal=Proc. R. Soc. B|year=2011|volume=278|issue=1709 |pages=1216–1222|doi=10.1098/rspb.2010.1770 |pmid=20943694 |pmc=3049078}}</ref> Another plant, the [[slipper orchid]] in southwest China, also achieves pollination by deceit by exploiting the innate yellow color preference of syrphids.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Shi|first1=J.|last2=Luo |first2=Y.B.|last3=Ran|first3=J.C.|last4=Liu|first4=Z.J.|last5=Zhou |first5=Q.|title=Pollination by deceit in Paphiopedilum barbigerum (Orchidaceae): a staminode exploits innate colour preferences of hoverflies (Syrphidae).|journal=Plant Biology|year=2009|volume=11|issue=1 |pages=17–28|doi=10.1111/j.1438-8677.2008.00120.x |pmid=19121110}}</ref>