Ruining my summer :(

s69g

Ok as the title states my summer will be ruined, and the reason why is because i have a phobia of bees and wasps (all happened from getting stung for no real reasons when younger) but anyway I just noticed yesterday while siiting both out the front and back of my house what looks like hovering wasps?
Ok once i seen these i ran inside straight away(phobia) and watched them and they seem to hover in groups then suddenly go forward and back and seen them what looked like flying on each others back! There are alot of these really big and another thing is there are no daisys buutercups etc on our lawn and alos have no flowers around to attract these, so why are they in our garden floating/hovering about when there's no pollen for them??????
Does anyone know what type of wasp they are and how dangerous????

Mothman

They are not wasps or bees, but hoverflies of which there are many species.

They are harmless to humans. They don't sting or bite. Their wasp or bee like appearance means that predators such as birds are fooled into leaving them alone.

Mickeroo

Is there an unusual amount of them about this year? They were everywhere yesterday and I don't think I'd every really seen them before. Looked very much like bees I have to say.

s69g

Thanks a million for the replies i just hope your right as i absolutely hate wasps and bees with a passion and feard of getting stung :-/
Well hope your right anyway and cheers

Galvasean

Hoverflies alright. Seems to be a lot off them for this time of year, but then again it is exceptionally good weather. Good weather = more flowers = more delicious nectar = more hoverflies.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoverfly

aidoh

Bees and wasps on public transport at rush hour are the funniest thing ever though.

Chemistry Ftw

aidoh wrote: »

Bees and wasps on public transport at rush hour are the funniest thing ever though.

most annoying thing ever* :cool:

s69g

Are not :O I very nearly wrecked my car one time a wasp was in the car and i didnt know, had to pull over as fast as possible thats how bad i am
People may say big wimp but a phobia is a F*ing phobia for a reason lol

Whispered

This may be a very silly question, but do hoverflies have some sort of interest in human smells? During the good weather I noticed that they would hover directly over me. I too am very nervous of wasps (not bees funnily) so went inside each time, it would fly off, I'd go back out, and within minutes another would be hovering away over me again.

I assumed it was to do with my shower gel or something. Is there anything I can do to stop them hovering around me?

Galvasean

It might be the scent of shower gel / deodorant etc. They feed off the nectar of flowers so maybe they are confused? I have noticed they do like to hover in close to inspect people for a bit before flying off.

Whispered

Actually, I tend to use a honey based shower gel,probably not the best of ideas if I want to avoid them.

So if they hover, they are hover flies and not wasps, wasps don't hover right? Do hoverflies have those little legs that hang down underneath them when they fly?

Galvasean

Honey shampoo? That'd do it.
Nope, wasps dont hover. that's the best way to spot a hoverfly.