Millions of Marmalades!

[diggleken]

In completely separate areas here in the south pennines, there are millions of Marmalade hovers, E. balteatus, about on the flowers!
Garden flowers, moorland thistles to 1200ft, in the house too(!) and parks, stunning numbers everywhere.
How are you doing where you are?
Migrants I presume are swelling numbers at this time of year.

Cheers
Ken

[James M]

Glad Im not the only one who's noticed, swarms of them in the garden of late

[JRsbugs]

Same here in my garden! On Ragwort and Achillea but also on geraniums and Agastache, and they love single dahlias and lilium.

It's difficult to pick out anything unusual, there's also a lot of Syrphus and you can't take pics of them all!

[GrayB]

Yes it's the same here in Birmingham, well, at least in my garden. I've also been seeing alot of M. umbellatarum which I very rarely see in my garden
Gray

[Geoff F]

Last week they seem to have reduced to just 10 or 20 a day here on the south coast. Almost all males though. I have struggled to find 2 or 3 females a day so far this year.

[tigger]

I believe some years they do come over in swarms from the continent (do you think that is what has happened?) - I noticed hundreds here (Dorset coast) a few weeks ago (and heard other reports from the south coast at the same time. Not so many now.... Jane

[diggleken]

Originally Posted by tigger

I believe some years they do come over in swarms from the continent (do you think that is what has happened?) - I noticed hundreds here (Dorset coast) a few weeks ago (and heard other reports from the south coast at the same time. Not so many now.... Jane

Most interesting Jane and Geoff, it seems likely thats whats happened - and they are working their way north.
Why? Not enough flowers down there? ha ha.
Perhaps they are following the weather, wind/pressure patterns or season - I believe its said to take two weeks for example for spring to move from south coast to Scotland, roughly speaking.
Anyone know why the hovers might do this?
Nice flickr site pics by the way Jane!
Cheers
Ken

[JRsbugs]

Some syrphids do migrate, as far as southern Europe and even North Africa I think as I once found a document about this.

Garden Safari gives an account of most of the more common syrphids indicating which are more likely to migrate.

Gardensafari Hoverflies (with lots of pictures)

There is the scenario also of an early onset of last winter with many people perhaps not getting around to ceaning up their leaves and garden rubbish. Syrpids usually pupate under fallen leaves and debri, so it's a good idea to leave it for the worms to pull in enriching the soil, it keeps in moisture and harbours other larvae and insects such as caterpillars and small wasps, also springtails. Think of all the wildlife we can kill by being too tidy!

Having more survive the winter will subsequently give rise to more offspring, read about Eupeodes corollae which can produce 6 to 7 generations in one season! They say they are on the wing from June, but with a milder spring they probably got an early start which would also help numbers.

If you don't spray your aphids, then the hoverflies and sparrows will do the job nicely and you will be helping the insects. I also have some small wasps ~6mm long which are stocking their nests with aphids in old wood I have as a raised hosta bed, I don't know what will happen when the wood collapses though! maybe I will have to make some props to keep it there as insects are making good use of it.

By Geoff and Jane's accounts of reducing number it does sound as though E. balteatus is heading north!

[Hedera]

There are certainly plenty about. I've been trying to snap all the differently marked ones, and got about eight so far! They do like my single dahlias and perovskia too.

[catbee]

The ones in south Hants disappeared during last week. Haven't seen any at all since weds/thurs.