Insect · GBIF taxon 1541217
Common Drone Fly
Eristalis tenaxAlso known as Drone Fly, Rat-tailed Maggot Fly
Common drone flies are master mimics that closely resemble honeybees to deter predators, though they possess only two wings and cannot sting. Adults are active pollinators frequently seen hovering motionless over garden blossoms before alighting to feed on nectar and pollen. Their aquatic larvae inhabit stagnant organic matter and breathe through long, telescoping tail siphons.
PollinatorBee MimicCosmopolitan
1 / 7—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Nectar
- Pollen
Predators
- Spiders
- Insectivorous birds
- Predatory wasps
ThreatsPesticide application and wetland drainage
HabitatsGardens, meadows, agricultural fields, wetlands, and stagnant pools
Life span1–3 months (adults)
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderDiptera
- FamilySyrphidae
- GenusEristalis
- SpeciesEristalis tenax
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Observation: Watch flower beds on warm, sunny days to catch them hovering perfectly still in mid-air.
- Identification: Look for a single pair of wings and short, stubby antennae to distinguish them from true bees.
Batesian Model Andreas Trepte / CC BY-SA 2.5 · cc-by-sa
Image unavailableClose Relative Close Relative 
Family Member (c) Virginia Heatwole, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Virginia Heatwole · cc-by
Help improve the field guideSomething wrong?
Checking your Fauna account…Report a name, category, or profile issue for review.