Lanternfly with parasitic flies!

[orionmystery]

A poor lanternfly (Pyrops oculata) with parasitic flies. Ceratopogonidae?

I didn't notice the flies at the time of shooting.

Pyrops oculata with parasitic flies...IMG_4642 copy by Kurt (orionmystery.blogspot.com), on Flickr

4 days later, the flies were still there. Never notice these on all other pyrops I have photographed.

Pyrops oculata lanternfly with parasitic flies...IMG_4829b copy by Kurt (orionmystery.blogspot.com), on Flickr

Crop

Pyrops oculata lanternfly with parasitic flies...IMG_4829 crop by Kurt (orionmystery.blogspot.com), on Flickr

This poor Pyrops oculata lanterfly was clearly bugged by the parasitic flies. Watch the clip and see how the lanternfly used its right front leg to chase the flies away. The flies kept coming back though. Watch this short clip i made from a few stills and a video recording with my point and shoot (compact).

http://youtu.be/tYcRizh8LJQ

Complete story here: http://orionmystery.blogspot.com/2012/05/lanternfly-with-parasitic-flies.html
_________________
Kurt
Tropical Spiders