Best time to see: Mar to mid Nov

Key facts

One of the commonest hoverflies, emerging early in the year and common wherever there are suitable flowers

Habitat: woodland margins, urban wasteland and sometimes gardens

Recognition

A bee mimic, wings up to 13mm across, sometimes dark, sometimes with bright orange markings

Lifecycle

Adults lay their eggs around ponds and ditches, probably several broods a year

The young have telescopic breathing tubes that enable them to live submerged in water or wet mud