Lawn Fly behaviour
Hydrellia tritici, Ephydridae, bodylength approx. 2mm - I'm starting to really warm to these guys (other uploads from me). They are constantly putting on a display and are quite tolerant of close cameras. I've already uploaded video of their leg waving but I'm experimenting with different equipment - basically using my reverse lense on an old digital video camera which has good optical zoom (20x).
Couple of interesting things in the video. Primarily the obsessive foreleg displays, but from an ID point of view there is a large black velvety spot above each wing base - this feature distinguishes H. tritici from all other Hydrellia species in Australia. Oh, also it shoots a terd at -51sec.
Filmed in my backyard amongst the lawn grass, Dynnyrne, Hobart, Tasmania, 23rd October 2009.
Lawn Fly behaviour
Hydrellia tritici, Ephydridae, bodylength approx. 2mm - I'm starting to really warm to these guys (other uploads from me). They are constantly putting on a display and are quite tolerant of close cameras. I've already uploaded video of their leg waving but I'm experimenting with different equipment - basically using my reverse lense on an old digital video camera which has good optical zoom (20x).
Couple of interesting things in the video. Primarily the obsessive foreleg displays, but from an ID point of view there is a large black velvety spot above each wing base - this feature distinguishes H. tritici from all other Hydrellia species in Australia. Oh, also it shoots a terd at -51sec.
Filmed in my backyard amongst the lawn grass, Dynnyrne, Hobart, Tasmania, 23rd October 2009.