The most unusual eyes

JoanYoung · Post by **JoanYoung** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 8:46 pm

I cannot find this bee in my book so I do not know what kind it is but it has the most unusual eyes.

Tony T · Post by **Tony T** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 8:55 pm

It's a Syrphid fly (Diptera: Syrphidae); I don't know the genera in your area.

JoanYoung · Post by **JoanYoung** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 9:02 pm

Thanks for the id Tony. It is no wonder I cannot find the darn thing, it looks like a bee to me.

This is eristalinus taeniops.

MacroLuv · Post by **MacroLuv** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 2:05 am

Nice finding Joan.

I photographed something like this a year and half ago.
What your book says for my fly?

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 4:58 am

Nice photo Joan

I usually look at the antennae to determine whether its a bee or a fly. Bees it seems, always have clubbed antennae, though I could be wrong.

JoanYoung · Post by **JoanYoung** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 5:23 am

Nikola

I photographed something like this a year and half ago.
What your book says for my fly?

Thanks Nicola..this looks like the same fly as your picture. As Tony says, it belongs to the Syrphidae family (see name below) ...

"conspicious bee- or wasp-mimics, with yellow and black stripes. Precise hovering flight. Distinguishable on close examination by "false margine" to edge of wings.

Hope this info is of interest to you.

Ken
Thanks Ken for the distinction, it will help me in the future.

jmlphoto · Post by **jmlphoto** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 10:13 am

looks like a hoverfly i shot here around early summer. nice eye textures

JoanYoung · Post by **JoanYoung** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 10:52 am

Thanks Jordan. I was surprised when Tony said it was actually a fly as I had been looking at bees.

Shows how dumb I am when it comes to insects.

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 11:52 am

No need to blush at that mistake, Joan -- the syrphids do an incredible job of imitating bees. I've never seen anybody guess right on first encounter.

To learn more, visit syrphidae.com. It's a whole web site dedicated to this one family of flies. There is a gallery of photos of most European species at http://syrphidae.com/photo.php.

I see a new note on the site that says "All data is now mainly based on Europe but Africa is now inserted too." So it looks like this may be an especially good time for you to start noticing these beasts.

Ken Ramos wrote:Bees it seems, always have clubbed antennae...

That's a good rule of thumb. Some hymenoptera have other forms (threadlike, rarely comblike, and ants have that distinctive elbowed form). But none of the hymenoptera have the combination of a thick base tipped by a long bristle, like we see in Joan's photo and is very common in the flies.

--Rik

JoanYoung · Post by **JoanYoung** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 12:12 pm

Thanks for the link and the kind words Rik. There are some great pics on there and might help me a lot.

beetleman · Post by **beetleman** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 4:09 pm

A great looking Photo Joan. What a pair of eyes

Did you take this with the 400D?

JoanYoung · Post by **JoanYoung** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 5:18 pm

Thanks Doug. No, this was still with the P&S. I still need lots of practice with the 400D. How are you coming along with yours??

cactuspic · Post by **cactuspic** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 5:41 pm

Great shot Joan. I love those eyes. I can't wait to see what yo do with your 400D.
Irwin

JoanYoung · Post by **JoanYoung** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 8:13 pm

Thanks Irwin. I am taking toe 400D to the bush with me this weekend and want to see what I can come up with but without the macro lens I think it will all be birds and animals and not be suitable for posting on this forum....I might get a nice close-up or two though!!