Best time to see: mid Apr to mid Nov

Key facts

A wasp-like hoverfly, very common in gardens, fields and woods for much of the year

Habitat: gardens, hedges, woods and fields

Distributed across most of Britain and Ireland

Recognition

Strong yellow and black banding on the body; legs predominantly yellow; about 1 cm long

Males often create a humming noise by vibrating their wings to warm up their flight muscles

Lifecycle

Females lay their eggs near colonies of aphids on a wide range of plants; two or sometimes three broods per year

The larvae feed voraciously on aphids, then over-winter in shelter, and pupating in spring