Sericomyia nigra mouth parts

JH · Post by JH » Sat Jun 07, 2014 4:02 am

The last find in my own back yard was a Sericomyia nigra. Took the opportunity to take some photos of the mouth parts.

Nikon LWD 20x, Canon 6D, 425 pictures stacked and retouched in Zerene Stacker, some adjustments in LR and Canon DPP.

Regards Jörgen

carlos.uruguay · Post by **carlos.uruguay** » Sat Jun 07, 2014 10:16 am

Excellent!

Jacek · Post by **Jacek** » Sat Jun 07, 2014 10:23 pm

Good job, very nice

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Sun Jun 08, 2014 12:08 am

Well, this is certainly an outstanding photo!

But I'm very surprised about the appearance and the ID. Wikipedia tells me that Sericomyia nigra is a hoverfly, but this image looks like nothing I might have thought for hoverfly mouthparts.

Can you confirm that I'm thinking about the right creature?

Do you have a wider picture so that I could see this in context?

--Rik

JH · Post by JH » Sun Jun 08, 2014 2:35 pm

Carlos, Jacek and Rik thanks for the nice words!

rjlittlefield wrote:
Can you confirm that I'm thinking about the right creature?

Do you have a wider picture so that I could see this in context?

--Rik

I been wrong before - but I do think that this is a Sericomyia nigra a hoverfly. I was a little surprised myself about the "evil" look of the mouth parts.

Here are two more pictures to show the insect.

Regards Jörgen

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Sun Jun 08, 2014 2:45 pm

That looks like a good ID to me. Thanks for the overall shot of the head. Now I see how things fit together.

Yes, "evil" sounds like exactly the right description! Do you know what this beast eats as an adult?

--Rik

JH · Post by JH » Sun Jun 08, 2014 3:19 pm

rjlittlefield wrote: Do you know what this beast eats as an adult?

--Rik

I found it inside our house, so I have no first hand observations about its preferenses. My litterature only mention plants, such as raspberries, rowan, dandelions, guelder rose etc.

Indoors it behaved more like a Horse fly, than a hoverfly. That was the reason that It drew my attention in the first place. When I caught it, it buzzed intensely - this is a hoverfly with an attitude.

Jörgen