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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 14, 2026

Exploring Life History Choices: Using Temperature and Substrate Type as Interacting Factors for Blowfly Larval and Female Preferences

Exploring Life History Choices: Using Temperature and Substrate Type as Interacting Factors for Blowfly Larval and Female Preferences

Published on: November 17, 2023

Learning to be unfaithful - preferences and flower constancy of Eristalis tenax (Syrphidae) decrease with experience.

Jakub Štenc^1,2,3, Alice Haveldová¹, Eva Matoušková^1,2

¹Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Benátská 2, CZ-128 41 Prague, Czech Republic.

The Journal of Experimental Biology

|April 13, 2026

Summary

Drone flies (Eristalis tenax L.) adjust their flower preferences and constancy based on foraging experience. This learning behavior impacts their foraging decisions and pollen transfer in diverse environments.

Keywords:

Artificial flowers Hoverflies Plant specialization Plant–pollinator interaction Pollination Reward

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Last Updated: Apr 14, 2026

Exploring Life History Choices: Using Temperature and Substrate Type as Interacting Factors for Blowfly Larval and Female Preferences

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Published on: November 17, 2023

Rearing and Long-Term Maintenance of Eristalis tenax Hoverflies for Research Studies

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Published on: May 19, 2018

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Published on: June 5, 2017

Area of Science:

Pollination ecology
Animal behavior
Entomology

Background:

Pollinators show preferences for floral traits and exhibit flower constancy, influencing foraging and pollen transfer.
Learned foraging behavior is well-documented in bees, but less so in hoverflies (Syrphidae), a key pollinator group.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate how foraging experience affects the preferences and flower constancy of drone flies (Eristalis tenax).
To compare flower constancy and preferences between naive and experienced drone flies.

Main Methods:

Controlled experiments using artificial flowers with varying colors and sizes.
Comparison of foraging behavior between flower-naive and flower-experienced drone flies (Eristalis tenax).

Main Results:

Previous experience with flowers in a species-rich environment reduced flower constancy in Eristalis tenax.
Foraging experience altered the floral preferences of Eristalis tenax.

Conclusions:

Foraging experience significantly modifies drone fly behavior, impacting their flower choices and constancy.
Understanding learned foraging in hoverflies is crucial for assessing their role in pollination dynamics.