Eristalis tenax, the common drone fly, is a common, migratory, cosmopolitan species of hover fly. It is the most widely distributed syrphid species in the world, and is known from all regions except the Antarctic. It has been introduced into North America and is widely established. It can be found in gardens and fields in Europe and Australia. It has also been found in the Himalayas.
It is renowned for its Batesian mimicry, closely resembling a honeybee drone in both appearance and flight behaviour to deter predators. Unlike the bees they mimic, they have only one pair of wings and lack a constricted "wasp waist". They are generalist pollinators found in meadows, gardens, and hedgerows. They feed on nectar and pollen, particularly from yellow flowers and ivy.
This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme
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