| Eggs | Larval Stage | Adult | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life span | 1 week | 2 weeks | 6 weeks |
| Food | n/a | Aphids | Pollen/nectar |
| Predators | Ants | Ants, spiders (hunting), wasps | Birds, dragonflies, spiders |
| Habitats | Fleshy stems | Fleshy plants with aphids on them | Everywhere but especially area rich in pollen and nectar such as cow parsley and ragwort |
| Hazards | Insecticides Fire | Insecticides | Insecticides |
| Way to help | No insecticides | No insecticide use, tolerate some aphids | Plant a good array of pollen and nectar rich flowers that have as long a flowering season as possible especially yellow ones |
| Friends | n/a | n/a | Yellow flowers |
| Services | The marmalade hoverfly gets its name from its orange colour, and the different sized black bands across its body: ‘thin cut’, ‘thick cut’, just like marmalade | Eats around 25 aphids per day | A pollinator that can be found all year round |
