Myathropa florea

Myathropa florea is a very common European and North African species of hoverfly. Adults may be seen on flowers from May to September. It is of similar size as the drone fly, but living Myathropa are generally more yellow, with two light bands to the thorax, interrupted with a black central smudge. In museum specimens, any yellow colour soon fades to brown after death. Like most Eristalini, Myathropa are rather variable in size, shape and colour.

Larvae feed on bacteria in organic waterlogged detritus, often in the shallow rot holes of tree stumps.