If you guessed I’m an orange-legged drone fly, then ding ding ding! You win a treat—because you’re not so easily fooled. But for those of you who thought I was a bumblebee… oh dear. You might want to sit down for this.

Take a good look into my big, round eyes—yes, the ones that touch at the top of my head like two cartoon goggly eyes. Count my wings: one, two. Bees have four wings and their eyes don’t meet in the middle like mine do. I’m a fly in disguise!

Why the costume party? Well, soft-bodied insects like me (think of my squishy, maggoty childhood) are basically bird snacks. But birds tend to avoid stinging, crunchy bugs like bees and wasps. So if I dress up like one of them, I get to live longer and have more offspring.. Evolution is wild, right?!

We’re officially called Syrphidae, but you might know us better as hoverflies (because we float like hummingbirds) or flowerflies (because we’re always hanging out in your blooms). There are around 500 species of us in Canada alone!

So what am I doing in your garden? As larvae, we’re pest-munching machines. Our moms lay eggs on aphids and other soft-bodied insects, and when we hatch—voilà!—instant buffet. We chow down until we pupate, often saving your plants from future infestations.

As adults, we’re all about the nectar and pollen. You probably didn’t think about “gardening for flies,” but once you get past the ick factor, you’ll see how vital we are. In Ontario’s cooler seasons—spring and fall—we’re still out there pollinating when bees are taking a break. Even early morning and late evening, we are there, in your flowers. In fact, flies contribute up to 40% of pollination services in our chilly climate. Not bad for a bug you didn’t even notice!

And guess what? If you’re planting for bees, you’re already helping us too. That means native plants with abundant pollen and nectar. We’re likely buzzing around your garden right under you nose, tricking your big human brain with our bee cosplay.