Helophilus lapponicus, the Yellow-margined Marsh Fly, is a common species of syrphid fly observed across northern North America, northern Europe, Greenland and Siberia. Hoverflies can remain nearly motionless in flight. The adults are also known as flower flies for they are commonly found on flowers, from which they get both energy-giving nectar and protein-rich pollen. Though common the larvae of this species are not known but the larvae of other species in this genus are associated with wet decaying organic material, particularly accumulations of decaying vegetation in ponds and mud and are a so called rat-tailed type .
