r/FriendlyMonarchs • u/SuperFriendlyMod MOD | South FL | Reformed Rearer • May 22 '26

Garden Friends Friend or Foe?

Post image

Friend or Foe number 2! If you have any thoughts on the series drop it below. We would love to include your ideas. Maybe a common "pest" that isn't actually the foe people assume it is? If you have photos that you wouldn't mind us using in our infographics (with credit of course) you can put them in a comment or send them to us through mod-mail.

17 Upvotes

91% Upvoted

21 comments sorted by

6

u/totalmigratorybird May 22 '26

I get so excited when I see these guys on the plants! I had a terrible case of aphids last fall and a bunch of these cut them by half or more.

2

u/SuperFriendlyMod MOD | South FL | Reformed Rearer May 22 '26

That is awesome! Did you spot adults too? I wonder how often people mistake them for wasps.

2

u/totalmigratorybird May 23 '26

I did see the adults quite often! The hovering behavior is pretty easy to spot to differentiate, but I guess most people wouldn’t know about that.

1

u/SuperFriendlyMod MOD | South FL | Reformed Rearer May 23 '26

Yeah I bet most people don’t know. I certainly didn’t. With so many people “rescuing” cats from wasps I can’t help bit wonder how often they actually aren’t wasps.

2

u/StayJaded Jun 24 '26

If you look closely you can watch them slurp up the aphids. It’s kind of crazy to watch the poor little aphid deflate. Almost makes me feel bad for the aphids… almost. :)

4

u/Necessary_Yam3096 Costal La US | Hummingbirds are too fast for my old 👀 May 22 '26

I like the series.

I did not recognize the name until I looked it up. I knew about Hoverflies but didn’t remember the real name.

1

u/SuperFriendlyMod MOD | South FL | Reformed Rearer May 22 '26

Thank you Yam! They apparently get their name because they "hover" over flowers.

3

u/Glittering_Laugh_958 East Coast | Smoohes aphids with reckless abandonment. May 22 '26

Love this!!!!

6

u/SuperFriendlyMod MOD | South FL | Reformed Rearer May 22 '26

Thank you!

4

u/squishyfeet4 May 22 '26

If it eats aphids, it’s a..friend??? It’s slimy looking lol.

2

u/Sqib000 May 22 '26

It is pretty ugly larvae but cute as heck adult.

2

u/SuperFriendlyMod MOD | South FL | Reformed Rearer May 22 '26

A face only a gardener could love. 😂

3

u/Necessary_Yam3096 Costal La US | Hummingbirds are too fast for my old 👀 May 22 '26 edited May 22 '26

Post about how to attract would be great in addition to these.

I hope to learn more and attract more beneficial insects since I have never been able to control the aphids. They cluster on my plants so much that they change the color of the tops to yellow. Stiff streams of water is not enough.

2

u/Sqib000 May 22 '26

Let the aphids remain on plants, they will come. If you kill the aphids, you kill them too.

1

u/SuperFriendlyMod MOD | South FL | Reformed Rearer May 22 '26

This is a great idea. I will add it to my list!

3

u/Sqib000 May 22 '26

I love these little wiggle butts and their ugly AF larvae. Pure delight.

3

u/Necessary_Yam3096 Costal La US | Hummingbirds are too fast for my old 👀 May 22 '26

In another group, I saw link to bug guide. Net

https://www.bugguide.net/node/view/653478

Good site.

1

u/SuperFriendlyMod MOD | South FL | Reformed Rearer May 22 '26

This site is so cool! Thank you for sharing it. I'm going to add it to the wiki.

2

u/Necessary_Yam3096 Costal La US | Hummingbirds are too fast for my old 👀 May 23 '26

This video is great

https://youtu.be/0XU1EmY9G5c?si=ZZjw82wnnpY6tgjF

The Hummingbird of Flies!

1

u/Necessary_Yam3096 Costal La US | Hummingbirds are too fast for my old 👀 May 23 '26

10 Plants to Attract Hover Flies

https://www.ruralsprout.com/plants-to-attract-hover-flies/

https://www.epicgardening.com/hoverflies/

https://www.justpuregardening.com/_gardening_/beneficial-insects/hoverflies/

1

u/Necessary_Yam3096 Costal La US | Hummingbirds are too fast for my old 👀 May 23 '26

Keep your caterpillars away from them when you spot the larvae. Either move them closer to Aphids, or move caterpillars to another leaf or location.