Fun in the Sun, Pt. 2 - _TNY_0002
I think this couple having some fun together are a pair of sun flies (Helophilus pendulus), but it could be one of the other species in Helophilus.
The name Helophilus is the reason for the "sun fly" name - but that is based on a misconception. Helophilus means "marsh-lover", but with an extra "i" in there, "Heliophilus" instead means sun-lover.
H. pendulus is sometimes known as "the footballer" because of how the striped thorax sort of resemble a football jersey.
This is one of the species which is an exception to the rule about the eyes of males and females in hoverflies.
Normally, the female has eyes which are separated while males have larger eyes which touch each other. But as you can see in this shot, and especially in part 1 here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/54006376561/ - the eyes of both are clearly separated.
Fun in the Sun, Pt. 2 - _TNY_0002
I think this couple having some fun together are a pair of sun flies (Helophilus pendulus), but it could be one of the other species in Helophilus.
The name Helophilus is the reason for the "sun fly" name - but that is based on a misconception. Helophilus means "marsh-lover", but with an extra "i" in there, "Heliophilus" instead means sun-lover.
H. pendulus is sometimes known as "the footballer" because of how the striped thorax sort of resemble a football jersey.
This is one of the species which is an exception to the rule about the eyes of males and females in hoverflies.
Normally, the female has eyes which are separated while males have larger eyes which touch each other. But as you can see in this shot, and especially in part 1 here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/54006376561/ - the eyes of both are clearly separated.