Syrphidae of the Southern Appalachians: Diversity, Distribution, and Foraging Behavior

Flies of the family Syrphidae are an ecologically underappreciated taxon of insects despite being thought to be second only to native bees as pollinators of native plants. In response to global bee declines, there has been increased interest in the contributions of non-bee pollinators and syrphids have emerged as one of the most prominent of these taxa. My study seeks to describe the diversity and distribution of syrphid flies along the Blue Ridge Parkway, as well as explore aspects of their foraging behavior relevant to their efficacy as pollinators. Syrphids were collected from 2018 - 2022 at over 100 sites alongside the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina and Virginia. These surveys revealed 81 previously undocumented species within the park. Occurrence data from these surveys was used to create habitat suitability maps for the most common species. I also documented the associations of syrphids with local Southern Appalachian Flora and quantified visitation patterns during transitions among encountered flowers. Hoverfly species were found to feed on a wide range of flower types, but individuals remained constant to preferred species during foraging bouts. These results support the idea that hoverflies could provide valuable insurance for pollination services in the face of bee decline.<p></p>