There are over 300 species of Syrphidae(Hoverflies) in California, including multiple species each of:

Allograpta, Metasyrphus, Paragus, Scaeva, Sphaerophoria, Syrphus, and Toxomerus.

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• Wings: True flies (including Syrphidae) only have one pair of wings (2 total), whereas bees and wasps have two pairs (4 total). 

• Flight Pattern: Hoverflies can float perfectly still in mid-air and fly backward, while bees and wasps generally fly in a straight, forward direction.

• Eyes and Antennae: Hoverflies have short, stubby antennae and massive, fly-like compound eyes that meet near the top of their head. Bees and wasps have longer, elbowed antennae.