Most hover flies have large compound eyes that nearly cover the head. One rule of thumb for identifying hover fly gender is, if the eyes meet at the top of the head, it's a male specimen. Each wing has a characteristic fold, or "false vein" which can be visible to the naked eye - it is located anterior to the first large vein that runs all the way to the outer margin of the wing. Of course, being true flies, they have only one pair of wings, plus the characteristic halteres, or bulb-like organs that evolved from the second pair of flying wings. In Syrphid flies, however, the halteres are fairly inconspicuous.

Much has been written about the Syrphids' mimickry of the bees and wasps. Their bright yellow and black markings are said to be a Batesian mimickry of the aposematic (warning) colors sported by the stinging insects. Some of these flies actually go so far as to use their front legs to mimic the jointed antennae of the Vespoid wasps, some are mimics of bumble bees or honey bees.