**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** HOVER FLIES ARE COMMON INSECTS FOUND THROUGHOUT NORTH AMERICA WHICH PROVIDE MULTIPLE ECOSYSTEM SERVICES THATCAN GREATLY BENEFIT CROP PRODUCTION AND IMPROVE SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE. ADULTS ARE IMPORTANT POLLINATORS FOR MANYGLOBAL CROPS WHILE LARVAE PROVIDE A DIVERSE SET OF SERVICES FROM REDUCING ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION VIA NUTRIENT RECYCLING TO BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF SOFT-BODIED PESTS SUCH AS APHIDS. DESPITE THIS, HOVER FLIES ARE OFTEN UNDERSTUDIED AND UNDER-APPRECIATED BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC. THIS POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH PROJECTWILL PARTIALLY ADDRESS THREE MAJOR LIMITATIONS TO CAPITALIZING ON HOVER FLY (DIPTERA: SYRPHIDAE) POLLINATION AND BIOLOGICAL CONTROL SERVICES: 1) A LACK OF IN-DEPTH ECOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE OF SPECIFIC SPECIES, 2) A LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH HOVER FLIES BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC, AND 3) A LACK OF INFORMATION ON REGIONAL SPECIES DIVERSITY. THESE WILL BE ADDRESSED THROUGH TWO OBJECTIVES.FOR OBJECTIVE 1, WE WILL SEEK TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE LONG-DISTANCE MIGRATORY STRATEGIES OF THE HIGHLY ABUNDANT, CRUCIALLY IMPORTANT APHIDOPHAGOUS SPECIES EUPEODES AMERICANUS USING A NOVEL RADSEQ POPULATION GENOMICS APPROACH. LARGE-SCALE SEASONAL MIGRATIONS LIKE THESE HAVE MAJOR IMPLICATIONS FOR FARMERS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS BECAUSE THEY DETERMINE WHETHER CERTAIN CROPS WILL BE SUCCESSFULLY POLLINATED, AND APHID PESTS WILL BE SUPPRESSED. OUR AIM IS TO EXAMINE THE DEGREE OF GENETIC SIMILARITY AND/OR DISSIMILARITY BETWEEN POPULATIONS ACROSS THIS SPECIES' RANGE, THUS ALLOWING US TO BETTER UNDERSTAND MIGRATORY DYNAMICS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR STAKEHOLDERS. OBJECTIVE 2 IS TO COLLABORATE WITH THE GEORGIA BOTANICAL GARDEN'S CONNECT TO PROTECT PROGRAM TO ALLEVIATE HOVER FLY BLINDNESS AMONG THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES BY DISTRIBUTING EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS INCLUDING A GEORGIA SPECIES CHECKLIST AND IDENTIFICATION KEY. BY IMPROVING THE PUBLIC'S KNOWLEDGE ONHOVER FLIES, PEOPLE WILL BE MORE INCLINED TO APPRECIATE AND CONSERVE THESE INSECTS AND THE CRUCIAL BENEFITSTHAT THEY PROVIDE.