Have you seen the little syrphid flies, aka flower flies and hover flies, hovering around the early...
Honing In
A SYRPHID FLY (problably from the Genus Toxomerus) heads toward a white ceanothus blossom near Tomales Bay. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Glitter
WINGS GLITTERING in the sun, a syrphid fly lands on a white ceanothus blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Posted on
Tuesday, February 16, 2010 at
8:16 PM
The warmth of the sun and the lure of nectar beckoned the hover flies or flower flies to our bee...
Hover fly on rock purslane
HOVER FLY, aka flower fly, nectars the rock purslane. The insect is from the family Syrphidae, and probably genus Platycheirus, according to native pollinator specialist Robbin Thorp, emeritus professor of entomology at UC Davis. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Nectar Lover
THIS hover fly, aka flower fly, reaches for more nectar from the rock purslane. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Ready for Take-Off
READY FOR TAKE-OFF, the hover fly, crowned with pollen, heads for the tip of the blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Posted on
Monday, November 30, 2009 at
8:48 PM
Squatters' rights.
A dandelion poking through the rocks near Nick's Cove on Tomales Bay, in...
Fly-In
HOVER FLY, from the family Syrphidae swoops down on a dandelion claimed by a sweat bee. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Two's Company
TWO'S COMPANY--A tiny sweat bee and a hover fly share the same dandelion. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
On the Rim
POLLEN-PACKING sweat bee (top) prepares to leave the dandelion to the much larger hover fly. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Alone
ALONE, the hover fly nectars the dandelion flower. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Posted on
Monday, August 24, 2009 at
5:39 PM
If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and walks like a duck, it's probably a duck.
If it...
Flying in
FLYING IN--A syrphid or flower fly heads for a newly opened cactus blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Knobbed antennae
SYRPHID FLY has a specialized bristle or arista on the end of each antenna. It looks like a knob. In comparison, the honey bee has long antennae bent at a right angle. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Nectaring
NECTARING--A syrphid fly nectars on a cactus blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Posted on
Thursday, May 14, 2009 at
6:00 PM
Hover flies do know how to hover.
Like a helicopter with spinning...
Hovering
HOVERING--A hover fly hovers over a rock purslane (Calandrinia grandiflora). Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Nectaring
NECTARING--A hover fly gathers nectar from a rock purslane (Calandrinia grandiflora). (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Painting?
A PAINTING? No, it's a hover fly Photoshopped. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Posted on
Monday, October 27, 2008 at
1:36 PM