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 Cumbres de Monterrey National Park on a given day, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 344th most-seen of the 431 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.
July and August
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Virginia Giant Hover Fly in Cumbres de Monterrey National Park on a given day, against under 5% in September to June, the lowest months.
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.
5th of 5
Of the 5 parks where we can rate Virginia Giant Hover Fly sightings, Cumbres de Monterrey National Park ranks 5th at under 5%. The best odds are in Congaree National Park (United States, about 20%), Shenandoah National Park (United States, about 10%) and Great Smoky Mountains National Park (United States, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Virginia Giant Hover Fly is recorded against all the insects logged in Cumbres de Monterrey National Park (6 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
