1406_0059 Hoverfly
Hoverflies or Flower Flies are common visitors to my backyard garden; this one is feeding on dandelion nectar. Often mistaken for bees or wasps, these harmless insects do not sting, and are beneficial as pollinators. Their larvae prey on aphids and other garden pests. They can be differentiated by their wing vein pattern, enormous eyes, small antennae, and other features. As there are more than 6,000 species worldwide in approximately 210 genera, I am not going to try to I.D. this one unless I break a leg and find myself enduring a long recovery time with nothing else to do.
105mm macro lens + 1.7x teleconverter, hand held, lying flat on the ground.
Photographed in Val Marie, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission © 2014 James R. Page - all rights reserved.
1406_0059 Hoverfly
Hoverflies or Flower Flies are common visitors to my backyard garden; this one is feeding on dandelion nectar. Often mistaken for bees or wasps, these harmless insects do not sting, and are beneficial as pollinators. Their larvae prey on aphids and other garden pests. They can be differentiated by their wing vein pattern, enormous eyes, small antennae, and other features. As there are more than 6,000 species worldwide in approximately 210 genera, I am not going to try to I.D. this one unless I break a leg and find myself enduring a long recovery time with nothing else to do.
105mm macro lens + 1.7x teleconverter, hand held, lying flat on the ground.
Photographed in Val Marie, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission © 2014 James R. Page - all rights reserved.