Yellow-haired sun fly
Its thorax carries a bold black marking that many people read as a tiny Batman logo, earning it the nickname "Batman hoverfly".
| Where | Woodland, parks and gardens near rot-holes or ponds |
|---|---|
| Size | 10 to 14 mm long |
| When | April to September |
Look for a central black patch on the thorax split by two pale bars, plus yellow body hairs; it is more brightly and boldly marked than similar drone flies.
Larvae live in wet rot-holes in trees and other small bodies of stagnant water rich in decaying matter, breathing through a long tail-like tube.
Traits
Habitat
Woodland
Colour
Black, Yellow
Active
Day
To people
Harmless
Activity through the year
Often confused with
Drone flies lack the bold black thorax patch split by pale bars that gives the yellow-haired sun fly its Batman-like marking.
Questions
Is the Yellow-haired sun fly dangerous to people?
The Yellow-haired sun fly is harmless to people.
When can you see the Yellow-haired sun fly?
The Yellow-haired sun fly can be seen from April to September, by day.
Plate retouched from a photo by Syrio, CC BY‑SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons Licence
The plate on this page is shared under the same licence as its source, CC BY-SA.
Report a mistake in this entry
Last updated 2026-09-26. Every entry is checked against published sources.