Some species (most frequently the bumblebee mimics) show considerable variation in markings, which can lead to some identification difficulties and a very common ID problem with members of the public, is to immediately categorise any yellow and black insect as a wasp. Adult hoverflies are particularly fond of nectar and certain types of flowers attract certain species of hoverflies. Hedgerows or woodland where Umbellifers grow are good places to look and Creeping Thistle is another good attraction.

However, whilst sifting through the large numbers of balteatus, one can find some truly fabulous looking hoverflies. Selected species include the strikingly marked Chrysotoxum festivum, Dasysyrphus pinastri and the scarce Leucozona glaucia, which is one of the few hoverflies to show a blue colouration.

All of these three have yet to occur in the Eakring area, but have been found at other sites visited in Nottinghamshire.

The identification of the area's hoverflies began in late 2005 when I started to photograph an increasing array of insects and wildlife. Although at that time, the desire to put a name to any particular species was little more than a casual one, my interest in hoverflies deepened over the Winter months. After purchasing Stubbs and Falk's book British Hoverflies, the identification of species became much easier.

The Eakring hoverfly list is still very much in it's infancy, but is growing steadily and features some fabulous hoverflies. The following list contains

• species (with links to images)
• year of original identification/sighting
• present area status