The immature stage of Syrphid Flies, like all flies, are worm-like larvae, often referred to as maggots. Many are predators on varous insects such as aphids and scales. World wide there are more than 6000 species!

The adults of can hover in place like a helicopter and are frequently seen at flowers where they feed on nectar and perhaps pollen. They are also commonly called Flower Flies. As they move from flower to flower they might affect pollination. They do not sting or bite, thus the bright bee-like pattern deceives birds and other insectivores into avoiding them. They can on close inspection, be readily distinguished by having one pair of wings whereas all bees have two pairs of wings.