Hoverflies © Janet Packham
What do flies eat?
A balanced diet
Flies have a reputation for bad table manners, but not all of them like to dine on dung or pilfer from our plates. Flies are wonderfully diverse, from fuzzy flies that look like bees to small shiny ones and brightly coloured hoverflies. Their diets are equally varied. Some do have a preference for poo or dead things, but this isn't gross, it's amazing - they provide a free and vital recycling service! Other flies are pollinators or predators, sometimes both at once. Flies also forge a key link in the foodchain, as many other animals depend on them as a food source.
Adult hoverflies visit flowers to feast on pollen and nectar, just like a bee. They prefer flat, open flowers that they can easily land on, like daisies and umbellifers. Their larvae, on the other hand, are often hunters. Many of them feed on aphids, though some hoverfly larvae grow up in ponds or small pools. Creating a wild patch in your garden, with long grass, log piles and wildflowers will offer something for a wide variety of flies to feast on.
