ChristinaLEvans
MallophoraEggLay4606-HW2CLEvans
Florida Bee Killer -- Mallophora bomboides laying eggs. An exciting day last week when we found 15 to 20 of these fascinating large, bumblebee-mimicking robber flies laying eggs in the prairie. The UF page (link below) says they lay eggs into the soil, but apparently that is not true -- though I gather their larva do go to the ground to feed.
The bee killers were laying near the top of tall dead stalks of (likely) Lopsided Indiangrass, (Sorghastrum secundum) which were blowing around in the wind, making it a difficult shoot. Probably 8 of every 10 images were out of focus! The good part was they allowed a closer than usual approach while busy with their task.
More about bee killers: entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/misc/flies/bee_killers.htm
MallophoraEggLay4606-HW2CLEvans
Florida Bee Killer -- Mallophora bomboides laying eggs. An exciting day last week when we found 15 to 20 of these fascinating large, bumblebee-mimicking robber flies laying eggs in the prairie. The UF page (link below) says they lay eggs into the soil, but apparently that is not true -- though I gather their larva do go to the ground to feed.
The bee killers were laying near the top of tall dead stalks of (likely) Lopsided Indiangrass, (Sorghastrum secundum) which were blowing around in the wind, making it a difficult shoot. Probably 8 of every 10 images were out of focus! The good part was they allowed a closer than usual approach while busy with their task.
More about bee killers: entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/misc/flies/bee_killers.htm