Nature on our Doorsteps: An insect ‘caped crusader’

Rosaleen Dwyer is the County Heritage Officer at South Dublin County Council – every week she gives us an insight into nature on our doorsteps and the beautiful biodiversity of its plants and wildlife.

THERE are 180 different hoverfly species in Ireland and most are mimics, pretending to be something more dangerous than they actually are.

Their colouring make them look a bit like wasps with black and yellow stripes.

While this mostly protects them, some predators can see through the disguise, and this is when the hoverfly’s very agile and manoeuvrable flight comes in very useful as it makes a quick escape.

Despite their warning colours, hoverflies are harmless and beneficial insects. They feed on nectar and pollen, making them very important pollinating insects.

Also, many hoverfly larvae feed on other insects like aphids, making them a welcome addition in the chemical-free garden.

A noticeable hoverfly in parks and gardens at the moment is one that is referred to as the Batman Hoverfly.

The ‘bat’ shape on this insect’s back gives rise to its name of the Batman Hoverfly

This medium-sized fly gets its Batman name from the dark shape outlined on its grey back which looks very like the ‘caped crusader’ bat symbol.

This shape can sometimes look smudged, making it less evident on some individuals.

This hoverfly is also called the Death’s Head Hoverfly by some, as the black shape vaguely looks like a skull.

A less dramatic name, however, is the Yellow-haired Sun Fly, due to the lovely fringe of golden yellow hairs that are obvious around the bodies of new adults.

Female Batman Hoverflies lay their eggs in wet hollows in trees or rotting wood, or in damp leafy ground.

As the organic matter decays, the larvae feed on the bacteria in the water.

Studies suggest that these larvae appear to do very well where a certain species of beetle also occurs.

It would appear that as the waste faeces from the beetles breaks down, this increases the numbers of the bacteria in the water that the hoverfly larva feed on, helping the larva to thrive even more.

Nothing is wasted in Nature.

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