Food For Nature

Flower flies do far more than pollinate. Their protein-rich bodies help feed a host of insectivorous animals – from birds and dragonflies to carnivorous plants – and bolster entire food webs. In fact, studies show that bird populations often rise and fall with insect abundance. Unfortunately, insectivorous birds (such as swifts, swallows, martins, and flycatchers) are declining at an alarming rate, with 73% of these species in decline - a loss of 156.8 million individuals in the continental U.S. and Canada from 1970 to 2017 (Rosenberg et al. 2019). Encouraging flower fly populations helps stabilize these bird communities by providing key prey resources.