Will they be back this spring?

It was very noticeable last year - the absence of Hoverflies. Whereas I normally get a fair number visit flowers last spring and summer I had few.

                    Hoverfly Sryphini taeniata on Honeysuckle leaf

I have normally noticed quite a lot of them on the Honeysuckle and Budhlea flowers. 

             Balteatus commonly called Marmalade Hoverfly on Honeysuckle flower.

                                 Chrysotoxum festivum on Honeysuckle leaf.

Last year I saw only a couple of 'Marmalades' who didn't stop. Butterflies and bumblebees were few and far between. I did get some pix of Harlequin Ladybird larva in the changeover to flies but that was about it.

                             Harlequin ladybird Harmonia axyridis on a tree mallow leaf.

I hesitated taking pix of it because they are slaughtering our native ladybirds.

But then this is what Nature is about after all isn't it?