They are approximately three times as long as wide. The pupal stage lasts from 7-20 days, depending on temperature. Adults may live for 4-10 weeks. Although occasionally found alone, they usually occur in masses of up to 100 larvae. Feeding begins as soon as a food source is found.
Adults feed upon the nectar of flowers of a number of cultivated and wild plants.
They are inactive at night. Strong winds and rain reduce adult activity. The fly may frequently be seen hovering over plants upon whose flowers they feed on and other objects. Their flight pattern is a series of hovering and darting in different directions. The greatest damage occurs in cool, wet seasons and in soils containing large amounts of organic matter.