Definition of hoverfly in English:
hoverfly
nounPlural hoverfliesˈhɒvəflʌɪ
A fly which frequently hovers motionless in the air and feeds on the nectar of flowers. Most hoverflies are black and yellow, patterned to mimic various bees and wasps.
Family Syrphidae: numerous genera and species
Example sentencesExamples
- Flowers, in white or shades of pink, are carried in late summer and into autumn, attracting butterflies, bees and hoverflies on warm, sunny days.
- Seed sown in early June has produced a swathe of greenery topped by the most attractive blue flowers that seem irresistible to bees, hoverflies and other insects.
- These will encourage bees and hoverflies to visit, pollinating the flowers and controlling any aphids present.
- Many insects, such as ground beetles, hoverflies and ladybirds, can keep pests under control - but not if they've been destroyed by chemical sprays.
- Recently many of us have begun to plant flowers in the vegetable garden to deter pests by attracting beneficial insects such as ladybirds and hoverflies.