Episyrphus balteatus
In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%
Episyrphus balteatus, sometimes called the marmalade hoverfly, is a relatively small hoverfly (9–12 mm) of the Syrphidae family, widespread throughout the Palaearctic region, which covers Europe, North Asia, and North Africa. It is considered the most abundant native hoverfly in Central Europe.
The upper side of the abdomen is patterned with orange and black bands. This color pattern may appear wasp-like to other animals, such as birds, protecting it from predation – an example of Batesian mimicry. The percentage of black and yellow color can vary between individuals, and it is modulated by the length and temperature of the pupal period. Females tend to be darker than males.
Two further identifying characteristics are secondary black bands on the third and fourth dorsal plates and faint greyish longitudinal stripes on the thorax. As in most other hoverflies, males can be easily identified by their holoptic eyes, i.e., at the top of their heads their left and right compound eyes are touching.
Episyrphus balteatus can be found throughout the year in various habitats, including urban gardens, visiting flowers for pollen and nectar. They often... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Triglav National Park | 🇸🇮 Slovenia | |
| 2 | Hohe Tauern National Park | 🇦🇹 Austria | |
| 3 | Plitvice Lakes National Park | 🇭🇷 Croatia | |
| 4 | Kiskunság National Park | 🇭🇺 Hungary | |
| 5 | Snowdonia National Park | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 6 | Tatra National Park | 🇸🇰 Slovakia | |
| 7 | Bavarian Forest National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 8 | Wadden Sea National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 9 | Aigüestortes National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 10 | Cairngorms National Park | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 11 | Picos de Europa National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 12 | Fertő-Hanság National Park | 🇭🇺 Hungary | |
| 13 | Białowieża National Park | 🇵🇱 Poland | |
| 14 | Cévennes National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 15 | Camargue | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 16 | Pyrénées National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 17 | Monfragüe National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 18 | Sierra Nevada National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 19 | Ecrins National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 20 | Sierra de Guadarrama National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Birmingham | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 2 | London | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 3 | Liverpool | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 4 | Manchester | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 5 | Paris | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 6 | Warsaw | 🇵🇱 Poland | |
| 7 | Turin | 🇮🇹 Italy | |
| 8 | Istanbul | 🇹🇷 Turkey | |
| 9 | Amsterdam | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | |
| 10 | Algiers | 🇩🇿 Algeria |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Marmalade Hover Fly sighting in Brussels on a given day, based on 126 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 14th most-seen of the 337 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 50%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.
May and June
In those months about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Marmalade Hover Fly in Brussels on a given day, against under 5% in December and January, the lowest months.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Marmalade Hover Fly sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
14th of 71
Of the 71 cities where we can rate Marmalade Hover Fly sightings, Brussels ranks 14th at about 20%. The best odds are in Birmingham (United Kingdom, about 30%), London (United Kingdom, about 30%) and Liverpool (United Kingdom, about 30%).
Same family: Syrphidae
The closest relatives of the Marmalade Hover Fly that you can see in Brussels (family Syrphidae, Hover Flies) are Common Drone Fly (about 20%), Yellow-Haired Sun Fly (about 20%) and Tapered Drone Fly (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Marmalade Hover Fly is recorded against all the insects logged in Brussels (126 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
