Lunch Eluded. Episyrphus balteatus, Marmalade Hoverfly, on Cape Sundew, Drosera capensis, Hortus Botanicus, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Y'r ob't s'vant, Rana Pipiens the Frog, was quietly but attentively sitting on his haunches on a little log just beside a patch of sticky Cape Sundew leaves. His sharp eyes were trained on a bright pink Sundew flower swaying in the sunlight about 30 cm above the tangle of chlorophyll and sweet digestive fluids of those leaves. Well, it wasn't actually the flower that drew his attention but rather what he thought might be a spot of lunch: a Marmalade Hoverfly. But 30 cm is a bit high to jump so he patiently waited for Marmy to fly a bit lower.
But, oh! no! not that low! For a reason known only to itself Hoverfly went so low as to alight on sticky Sundew leaves (see inset). Within seconds it was mired and Drosera's sweet digestion already beginning. As for Rana left hungry, he got up with Olymp for other prey.
Lunch Eluded. Episyrphus balteatus, Marmalade Hoverfly, on Cape Sundew, Drosera capensis, Hortus Botanicus, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Y'r ob't s'vant, Rana Pipiens the Frog, was quietly but attentively sitting on his haunches on a little log just beside a patch of sticky Cape Sundew leaves. His sharp eyes were trained on a bright pink Sundew flower swaying in the sunlight about 30 cm above the tangle of chlorophyll and sweet digestive fluids of those leaves. Well, it wasn't actually the flower that drew his attention but rather what he thought might be a spot of lunch: a Marmalade Hoverfly. But 30 cm is a bit high to jump so he patiently waited for Marmy to fly a bit lower.
But, oh! no! not that low! For a reason known only to itself Hoverfly went so low as to alight on sticky Sundew leaves (see inset). Within seconds it was mired and Drosera's sweet digestion already beginning. As for Rana left hungry, he got up with Olymp for other prey.