Here’s a deep overview of the Orange-spined Drone Fly (Eristalis interrupta), a hoverfly species that often mimics bees for protection.

🪰 Orange-spined Drone Fly (Eristalis interrupta)

🔹 Taxonomy

Order: Diptera
Family: Syrphidae (Hoverflies / Flower flies)
Genus: Eristalis
Species: Eristalis interrupta

🌍 Distribution and Range

The Orange-spined Drone Fly is a widespread Holarctic species, found in:

Europe: From northern Scandinavia to southern Europe.
Asia: Extending across Russia, Siberia, and parts of Central Asia.
North America: Widely distributed in Canada and the northern United States.

It inhabits temperate regions, with local abundance depending on flowering plant availability.

🏞️ Habitat

Wetlands, marshes, and bogs — especially near water sources.
Meadows and forest clearings with diverse wildflowers.
Gardens and farmland, where it often visits flowering crops.
Prefers areas where larvae (rat-tailed maggots) can develop in muddy, stagnant water.

✨ Identification Features

The Orange-spined Drone Fly is part of the drone fly group, named for their resemblance to honeybees.

Size: Medium-sized hoverfly (10–14 mm).
Coloration:
- Thorax dark, with golden-brown dusting.
- Abdomen with orange-yellow patches/spines along tergites (hence the common name).
- Mimics honeybees (Apis mellifera), which deters predators.
Wings: Transparent with a faint brownish tint.
Antennae: Short, typical of hoverflies.
Flight: Capable of hovering in place and darting quickly between flowers.

🌸 Diet and Role

Adults: Feed on nectar and pollen from a wide variety of flowers (daisies, dandelions, umbellifers).
Larvae (Rat-tailed maggots): Aquatic, living in stagnant water rich in organic matter, feeding on detritus and microorganisms.

Ecological Role:

Important pollinator of wildflowers and crops.
Helps recycle nutrients through larval feeding.

🔄 Life Cycle

Eggs: Laid near water bodies with organic-rich mud.
Larvae: Known as rat-tailed maggots, equipped with a long breathing tube, allowing them to survive in oxygen-poor water.
Pupae: Form in drier soil or among decaying vegetation near water.
Adults: Emerge in spring and summer, active from April to October (varies with latitude).

Usually produces multiple generations per year in warmer regions.

🦋 Behavior and Mimicry

Exhibits Batesian mimicry of bees to deter birds and insectivores.
Non-stinging, harmless to humans.
Often seen hovering over flowers or basking in sunny spots.

⚖️ Conservation Status

Not threatened; widespread and stable populations.
Beneficial insect for ecosystems and agriculture due to pollination services.
Sensitive to water pollution and habitat loss, since larvae need clean wetlands.

✅ In summary:
The Orange-spined Drone Fly (Eristalis interrupta) is a widespread hoverfly that mimics bees for protection, plays a vital role as a pollinator, and has fascinating aquatic larvae called rat-tailed maggots. It thrives in wetland-rich landscapes and contributes significantly to biodiversity and agriculture.