Discovered rare ivy floating fly: a fascinating natural phenomenon in Gießen

Von WOM

in the heart of Gießen, where the botanical garden presents a diverse flora, a very special insect has settled: the ivy floating fly (Callicera Spinolae). This species awaits the flower year, which is heralded by opening the ivy blossoms. These plants are not only an important source of food for numerous insects, but also serve as a place of encounter for hovering.

The flower year is coming to an end, and the first cool autumn days announce the upcoming out for many flower visitors. In the midst of this variety of insects, the golden hover fly is caught in the eye due to its remarkable golden hair and the long, white feet. According to the Red List of the Federal Office for Nature Conservation, this type of hover is classified as extremely rarely and threatened with extinction.

life cycle and reproduction

The way of life of the ivy floating fly is as fascinating as it is mysterious. Freshly hatched from a doll's cover, the males and females seek the flowering ivy. However, reproduction is often short-lived: after mating, the males die while the females lay eggs, provided that there are suitable deciduous trees with rotting branches that offer the larvae a wet-moist environment.

A rare phenomenon is that the larvae have to grow in a mixture of wooden mulm and water in order to develop successfully. They are dependent on the leaves near the ivy blossoms offer the right conditions to develop. The life cycle of hoverflies spans over two years, which makes its appearance a rather sporadic event.

The golden hover fly is not only a sign of how important healthy forest conditions are for biodiversity, but it is also considered a bioindic for a lively trees. This small creature needs niches that arise from dead and old wood to survive and continue. Such habitats have become rare in the forests and parks, which contributes to the endangerment of this unique fly type.

measures to protect the hover fly

In order to counter the decline of this special hover fly species, conservationists have developed creative approaches. In England, for example, experts recommend hanging bottles filled with damp sawdust on deciduous trees to improve the habitat for the larvae. These initiatives could help secure the survival of the ivy floating fly and to free them from their endangered position.

In the botanical garden in Gießen, the golden hover fly has shown itself in the flowering splendor of the Efeus, if only briefly. Their short appearance reminds us of how valuable and fragile our nature is. With every photo that is taken by this rare insect type, a piece is recorded about the beauty and the challenges of their existence.

The decline in the ivy floating fly is a wake-up call for the preservation of natural habitats that enable such a varied flora and fauna. For nature lovers and scientists, it remains to be seen whether the living conditions for this type of hover can improve and therefore not only part of biodiversity, but also the observation in the botanical garden, as reports www.giessenerzeiger.de .