View allAll Photos Tagged hoverfly
Hoverfly. Margined Calligrapher (Toxomerus marginatus). Shot in Portsmouth, VA on 23MAY18. GX8 w/P100-300mm + Raynox DCR-150 at 300mm, f/16, 1/250 sec, flash.
A common hoverfly, probably "Syrphus ribesii" feeding on the nectar of Echinops (globe thistle. Dronfield, Derbyshire
Hoverflies, sometimes called flower flies, or syrphid flies, make up the insect family Syrphidae. As their common name suggests, they are often seen hovering or nectaring at flowers.
There are about 6,000 species of Hoverflies in 200 genera and can be found throughout the world on all continents except Antarctica.
The size of Hoverflies varies depending on the species. Some are small, elongated, and slender, while others are large, hairy, and yellow and black. As members of the Diptera, all Hoverflies have a single functional pair of wings (the hind wings are reduced to balancing organs). They are brightly colored, with spots, stripes, and bands of yellow or brown covering their bodies. Due to this coloring, they are often mistaken for wasps or bees; they exhibit Batesian mimicry. Despite this, Hoverflies are harmless.
Adults Hoverflies of many species feed mainly on nectar and pollen, while the larvae (maggots) eat a wide range of foods. In some species, the larvae are saprotrophs, eating decaying plant and animal matter in the soil or in ponds and streams. In other species, the larvae are insectivores and prey on aphids, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects.
ISO400, aperture f/8, exposure .006 seconds (1/200) focal length 300mm
At first, I mistaken this fellow as a bee. Then realised that there is no sting at it's end and the funny black hump on the back. Only get to find out that it is Hoverfly after searching it's identity from Internet.
Took this handheld with my 5D mounted with 100mm macro and 580EXii mounted with my homemade diffuser. Shot in RAW and did minor adjustment on sharpness and brightness to get the above.
**Best view at large
Hoverfly having a rest between territorial flights over a camellia bush. Natural light. Epistrophe eligans
An obliging hoverfly, hovering in front of me in my overgrown lawn (now meadow!).
Handheld, natural light. I think it's a bit hazy at the rear of the abdomen because some grass got in the way.
Hoverfly in the "studio". I temporarily kidnapped this hoverfly from outside and fed it some sugar/honey to keep it busy whilst I took some shots. Focus stacked using zerene. I did release it where I trapped it.
Hoverflies are a colourful group of flies (Diptera) which make up the family Syrphidae. Hoverflies are given their name for their characteristic hovering behaviour, and are also referred to as flower flies as they are frequent flower visitors. Adult hoverflies feed mainly on pollen and nectar, making these insects very important pollinators.
There are 270 known species of hoverfly in Britain; these species vary greatly in size, shape and colour. Hoverflies are one of the most common insects to visit our gardens, so are very important pollinators in urban areas