Milesia virginiensis
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Milesia virginiensis, known generally as the yellowjacket hover fly or Virginia flower fly, is a species of hoverfly in the family Syrphidae. It measures 18–21 millimetres (0.71–0.83 in). It lives in forest edges and meadows. Adults are active mid-summer to early fall.
United States, Ontario, Canada, Mexico Adults of milesia virginiensis feed mainly on nectar and pollen, while the larvae are mainly detritovores, feeding on decaying plant matter. Adult milesia virginiensis are often seen hovering around an area, making erratic shifting movements before flying away. Milesia virginiensis cannot sting and are completely harmless.
Milesia virginiensis mimics stinging yellow-jackets or European hornets in appearance to deter potential predators. Larvae resemble caterpillars with a narrow neck and a set of antennae. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Congaree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Cumbres de Monterrey National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Washington | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Baltimore | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Houston | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | New York City | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Chicago | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Virginia Giant Hover Fly sighting in Washington on a given day, based on 45 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 478th most-seen of the 1807 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.
Any time of year
In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Virginia Giant Hover Fly in Washington on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Virginia Giant Hover Fly sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 6 cities where we can rate Virginia Giant Hover Fly sightings, Washington ranks 2nd at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Boston (United States, under 5%).
Same family: Syrphidae
The closest relatives of the Virginia Giant Hover Fly that you can see in Washington (family Syrphidae, Hover Flies) are Eastern Calligrapher (about 10%), Margined Calligrapher (about 10%) and Transverse-Banded Flower Fly (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Virginia Giant Hover Fly is recorded against all the insects logged in Washington (45 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.
