Many people mistake these little bugs for bees. They have a striped abdomen, and hang around flowers. But looking closer their eyes give away their fly features. I got a chance to get up close to one without it flying away and took some pictures while it fed on the flower.
 Camera Model | Lumix GH3 |
|---|---|
 Lens | Olympus M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12mm-50mm |
 Filter | none |
 Aperture | f/11 |
 Shutter Speed | 1/320 sec |
 Film Speed | 400 |
 Spectrum | Visual Light |
 Wavelength | 380 through 700 nanometers |
 Location | North Georgia USA. |
Was suprised see it feed on the flower it was. A Pyrethrum plant, it produces insecticide made from the dried flower heads. But maybe they are fine for the bugs that feed on them while the plants are alive.
Collecting the seeds is something people do to start new plants, maybe I will give that a try. Otherwise I have to wait for it to grow and then split it to start another plant.
I am happy to have hoverflies around, as their larva feed on Aphids. I have considered building homes to attract them like I do for my mason bees. Still looking in how I would do that. As they would be great to have for aphid control.
At the same time this fly was feeding on the flower, an Ant showed up on the next flower over and checks it out.
I got these plants as it produces nice flowers and I could also make an insecticide made from it.
Yet to make any, but I do enjoy the flowers and seems many insects do as well. Amazing a live flower can feed an insect but a dried one from the same plant can kill a bug. Something must happen in the petals when dried out.
Cropping one of the photos and it gives more detail to show. A really close look at the insect. I will need to research how to help build homes for hoverflies as I want to attract more of them. They are good pollinators and as stated their offspring feed on aphids which is great.
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One summer I also photographed this fly on a flower. And at the very beginning I thought it was a bee, but in the macro photo I saw that it was not. Although he did not know what kind of fly it was? Is this the same fly?
Looks like a hoverfly to me.. very cool! Good to see they have some near you.