Cumbria’s hoverflies are in need of help.
Cumbria Wildlife Trust and the Royal Horticultural Society are calling on gardeners from across Cumbria and the wider UK to help save hoverflies as part of its Wild about Gardens campaign.
The fly family is the second most significant pollinator after bees – with some species of hoverfly known to visit even more flowers than bees.
Hoverflies are considered unsung ecosystem heroes as they visit 52 per cent of crops globally, which they either pollinate or protect by eating aphids.
They also pollinate wildflowers, are food for birds and help break down organic matter in gardens.
But The Trust said the insects are being seriously impacted by intensive agriculture, harmful pesticides, urban development and climate change.
Studies have shown that hoverfly distribution has seen a 44 per cent decline between 1980 to 2020 and in 2022 the International Union for the Conservation of Nature added hoverflies to its Red List of threatened species.
The stingless insects are masters of disguise and are often mistaken for wasps, bees or even hornets and the different types go by various common names such as Batman, Footballer and Marmalade, thanks to their distinctive markings and colours.
It can be easier to identify them by their behaviour than their looks as they hover or even zigzag around plants.
Charlotte Rankin, planting for pollinators project officer for Cumbria Wildlife Trust, said: “Did you know that over 190 different hoverfly species have been found in Cumbria?
“Cumbria is home to an incredible diversity of hoverflies, from those pollinating the wildflowers in our hay meadows to species that thrive within our boggy, coastal and even limestone pavement habitats.
“The first hoverflies in spring can be found within our gardens, such as the marmalade hoverfly, and we can welcome many species into our gardens by providing areas for them to feed and breed.
“We’d love everyone in Cumbria to invite them into their gardens or outside space.”
Vicki Hird, author of Rebugging the Planet and strategic agriculture lead for The Wildlife Trusts, added: “Hoverflies are the hidden heroes of our gardens and countryside – but whatever their shape, size or disguise, they are critical for our food security.
“They can thrive in well-managed woodlands and wetlands, but there is also so much we could be doing in our gardens to help.
“Providing a range of flowers to feed on through the year, ponds for larvae to grow in, dead wood to lay eggs in and even a few aphid pests for them to feed on, and you will have these gardeners’ friends for life.
“And they are so helpful, and don’t bite or sting. You can be a hoverfly champion by telling friends and family to cherish them.”
Helen Bostock, Senior Wildlife Specialist at the Royal Horticultural Society, added the organisation is hoping people will ‘open their garden gates’ to hoverflies this summer.
She said: “These incredible insects help pollinate our plants, keep aphids in balance and break down rotting matter in the garden.
“Gardeners can help attract them by planting open, easily accessible flowers. In spring, they’ll be drawn to aubretia. In summer, they’ll love blackberry flowers, oxeye daisy, marigolds, fennel, cow parsley and poppies.
“Come autumn, they can be seen on heather, aster and even common ivy.”
Experts from the two charities have designed a series of projects for gardeners to help hoverflies in spaces large or small. These include:
- Pollinator plant boxes: Ideal for small-space gardens or balconies, these can be jam-packed with flowering plants to suit the season, representing a giant buffet for visiting hoverflies.
- Hoverfly lagoons: These are pools of shallow water where fallen leaves create a perfect breeding ground for many of the hoverfly species which have aquatic larvae.
- Larvae nurseries: Log piles and even shrubs can make perfect homes for hoverfly larvae.
To identify which hoverflies are visiting your garden or to find out more about how you can help save the species, visit www.wildaboutgardens.org.uk.
