Globetails

Globetails are small, slim hoverflies with long abdomens. In males, the abdomen usually ends in a distinctive rounded or club-shaped tip, which is why they are called globetails. Most have yellow and black stripes, but these are usually finer than those seen on many other hoverflies. They are very active when visiting flowers, often found on plants like umbellifers and composites on sunny days. They are common across the UK and much of the Northern Hemisphere. Globetails prefer open areas such as meadows, gardens, hedgerows, and the edges of woodlands. The larvae feed on aphids and develop among aphid colonies on herbaceous plants and grasses. There are many species that look very similar, and it often needs a close examination under a microscope of the male’s reproductive organs to identify them correctly. Females are particularly difficult to tell apart when seen in the field.