The Gentle Imposter

Often mistaken for a bee or a wasp, the Transverse Banded is actually a harmless (no stinger), common species of hoverfly. It is native to Ontario and, for self-preservation, is adept in Batesian Mimicry*. It “wears” bright black and yellow stripes to trick predators into thinking it’s a stinging bee or wasp, but it is completely harmless and has no stinger at all. You can easily spot the difference because it only has two wings, whereas bees have four.

The Transverse Banded is an excellent, valuable pollinator. While the adults sip nectar for fuel, they also eat protein-rich pollen. Because they have very hairy bodies, they are great at accidentally trapping and transferring pollen from flower to flower.

The Gentle Imposter

Beside the forest’s quiet edge,
Where autumn blossoms sweetly wink,
A bright imposter comes to rest
Upon a stage of gold and pink.

With tiger stripes of black and gold,
It mimics stingers, bold and sharp,
Yet dances harmless through the air,
A silent note from nature’s harp.

Cute Eristalis hovers still,
Suspended by two lustrous wings,
A native scout of Essex fields,
Seeking the wealth the pollen brings.

This transverse-banded drone fly sips,
A gentle friend without a sting,
I write its name upon the page
And track the peace that wild things bring.

’Til next time, y’all…

*Batesian mimicry, practiced by many hoverfly species, is an effective ploy in which a harmless animal tries to ward off predators by resembling a more dangerous species. In this case, having no stinger makes the Transverse Banded very vulnerable.