The Knoll Gardens Foundation (Reg Charity 1159390), is dedicated to achieving a better understanding of the balance between Knolls naturalistic ethos and the gardens wildlife.
As part of this work the charity undertakes a number of surveys within the gardens. Two recent surveys by Dorset Wildlife Trust’s, Hamish Murray recorded over 20 different Hoverfly species.
Our gallery (currently under production) will show some Hoverflies, also known appropriately as flower flies, seen in the gardens with information about their behaviour – such as sunbathing and defending their territory – and their life cycle.
The naturalistic approach in the gardens with its carefully chosen permanent, low maintenance planting and habitat diversity appears to support the Hoverfly life cycle well e.g. the many open flowers are favoured by feeding adults because their sponge like mouthparts dab up nectar for their energetic flight and the different flowers in bloom across the year provide for active adults from early spring and into winter. Some Hoverflies hibernate as adults and emerge when temperatures permit so could well benefit from the many undisturbed and sheltered areas in the garden.
Different Hoverfly species need certain conditions, which are found in the gardens various habitats, for their larvae to thrive eg some larvae could feed on decaying plant matter in wetter areas, on aphids living on vegetation or in leaf litter or even on the debris found in our solitary bee or social wasp nests.
We aim to add new images and share what we find out about these rather eye-catching pollinators over the coming months.
With grateful thanks to Mitch Perkins for helping to identify the Hoverflies – not always an easy task!
