Marmalade Hover Fly Episyrphus balteatus

This delightfully named hoverfly lives up to its moniker with striking orange-and-black coloring that echoes marmalade. It's the most abundant native hoverfly in Central Europe, a true ecological success story. At just 9 to 12 millimeters, it may be small, but its widespread distribution across Europe, North Asia, and North Africa tells the real story—these flies have successfully adapted to diverse habitats. Watch for their distinctive coloring at flowers during warm months.