Hoverfly Larvae?

[onlyricky]

I've found these critters in my cabbages ... are they hoverfly larvaes? I've saved them since my mother will kill all the bugs on the cabbage. do they eat all the aphids? or just the aphids that appear on the cabbage?
any chance to know which hoverfly is?
and the pupate of a hoverfly is just like butterflies? do they make cocoons? thanks!

[paul m]

I don't recognise it but it doesn't look like a larva of the cabbage butterflies or moths. If it's a hoverfly larva then it will be very useful in attacking aphids and other pests.
If in doubt look at the leaves! If you have a lepidopteran pest then it will have made holes in the leaves! Also, there are likely to be many of them.
If there are only one or two larvae then (a) they're likely to be beneficial and (b) if they're not, then there won't be enough to do much damage!
Very good of you to discourage your Ma from spraying insecticide recklessly! Give her our congratulations.

[onlyricky]

Originally Posted by paul m

I don't recognise it but it doesn't look like a larva of the cabbage butterflies or moths. If it's a hoverfly larva then it will be very useful in attacking aphids and other pests.
If in doubt look at the leaves! If you have a lepidopteran pest then it will have made holes in the leaves! Also, there are likely to be many of them.
If there are only one or two larvae then (a) they're likely to be beneficial and (b) if they're not, then there won't be enough to do much damage!
Very good of you to discourage your Ma from spraying insecticide recklessly! Give her our congratulations.

it attacks aphids I see it eating them!
I neeeed help I really want to be sure if i can feed with any aphids (there are many everywhere in any plant hehe)

[Pudding4brains]

Hi Ricky,

IMHO certainly a Diptera, probably Syrphidae, but after that? Maybe have a look at Paragus spp or close

And yes, tell your mom to leave them well enough alone

Cheers, Arp

[onlyricky]

Originally Posted by Pudding4brains

Hi Ricky,

IMHO certainly a Diptera, probably Syrphidae, but after that? Maybe have a look at Paragus spp or close

And yes, tell your mom to leave them well enough alone

Cheers, Arp

hmm )) well at least it is a good start, by the way, will they make cocoon? I don't know how they develop, can anyone give me a life cycle of a hoverfly larvae? ))

[Pudding4brains]

[onlyricky]

Originally Posted by Pudding4brains

yay! it helps! how long does it take to pupate?
I mean to make the cocoon