Hoverflies carry pollen long distances, study finds

The study found that pollen was found on 92% of the hoverflies

A study led by University of Exeter into migratory hoverflies on a North Sea oil rig, has revealed their role as long-distance pollen transporters.

Researchers studied 121 marmalade hoverflies that landed on an oil rig in the Britannia oil field, near to Scotland.

The study found pollen was found on 92% of the hoverflies, which experts said proves that they can transport pollen over long distances.

With no vegetation on the rig, and no land nearby it may potentially link plant populations that are hundreds of kilometres apart.

"By analysing the pollen samples and wind patterns, we estimate that many of the hoverflies had flown from places including the Netherlands, northern Germany and Denmark – over 500km away," said Toby Doyle, from the Centre for Ecology and Conservation on Exeter's Penryn Campus in Cornwall.

"The most common pollen types were common nettle, black elder and meadowsweet – but they also carried pollen from crops including vegetable, legume, cereal, nut and fruit species."

The study was funded by the Royal Society.