Lazy Girl, Pt. 2 - _TNY_1457
The orange-belted leafwalker (Xylota segnis) is not one of the species which lives on the wing, but rather prefer to rest on a leaf in the sun (can't say I disagree).
The scientific name picks up on that as "segnis" actually translates into lazy or docile. "Xylota" is a Latinized version of the Byzantine-Greek "ξυλωτή" meaning "wooden".
Xylota hoverflies sometimes eat/drink honeydew from aphids and have also been observed sucking pollen off the face of other hoverflies. How's that for an interesting diet?
This female was chilling in our patio and allowed me to get some nice shots off - I'm very pleased with the detail and diffusion on this one, shot at 3.3:1 magnification.
Part 1, a little more from the side here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/51240403531/
Lazy Girl, Pt. 2 - _TNY_1457
The orange-belted leafwalker (Xylota segnis) is not one of the species which lives on the wing, but rather prefer to rest on a leaf in the sun (can't say I disagree).
The scientific name picks up on that as "segnis" actually translates into lazy or docile. "Xylota" is a Latinized version of the Byzantine-Greek "ξυλωτή" meaning "wooden".
Xylota hoverflies sometimes eat/drink honeydew from aphids and have also been observed sucking pollen off the face of other hoverflies. How's that for an interesting diet?
This female was chilling in our patio and allowed me to get some nice shots off - I'm very pleased with the detail and diffusion on this one, shot at 3.3:1 magnification.
Part 1, a little more from the side here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/51240403531/