Hoverflies rival honey bees in Australian apple pollination trial

Early trials using the hoverfly Eristalis tenax as a managed pollinator for pome fruits show promising results. Conducted by seedPurity and the University of New England's Radar Lab in Goulburn Valley in 2025, the work is part of the five-year Flies as effective pollinators for horticulture (PH24002) project.

The project focuses on developing commercial rearing of Eristalis tenax, Eristalinus punctulatus, Calliphora dubia, and C. vicina as complementary managed pollinators for horticulture. It builds on the previous Managing flies for crop pollination (PH16002) project, which found key fly species exhibit foraging behavior and resilience where honey bee activity is limited, such as low temperatures and protected cropping.