I haven't seen a lot of Hover Flies around here lately although no doubt their numbers will increase as summer approaches. This one was not found attending a flower but rather, it came to my moth trap at night back on the 30th October.
It seems to belong to the subfamily Syrphinae which only has four recorded species in Tasmania, those being:
- Melangyna collatus
- Melanostoma sp. A
- Simosyrphus grandicornis
- Xanthandrus agrolas
(Click Photos to Enlarge)
#1 - Hover Fly (Syrphidae : Syrphinae)
#1 - Hover Fly (Syrphidae : Syrphinae)
#2 - Hover Fly (Syrphidae : Syrphinae)
I've had a couple come to the light too Mosura, didn't stay long though, failed to get a shot.
ReplyDeleteI guess many flies are more active at night?
ReplyDeleteI'm with Tony.
ReplyDeleteSurprised to see Hoverflies at a night light.
Cheers
Denis
Hi Alan,
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned that it wasn't attending a flower. Is it a pollinator?
Chai
Hi Alan
ReplyDeleteLove the first photo, descending into winter now over here, it's particularly nice to look at yours and other Aus blogs to remember spring/summer! (-:
Thanks Duncan - There were several of these still in the trap the next morning.
ReplyDeleteThanks Tony - Syrphids / Hover Flies are officially diurnal. I guess some of them just haven't read the same books :-)
Thanks Denis - I often get Blow Flies and Crane Flies in the trap too.
Thanks Chai - Yes Hover Flies are generally good pollinators.
Thanks Jenny - It's slowly warming up here. Nothing like they get on the north island though :-)
G'day Mosura,
ReplyDeleteFabulous shots. Glen has those on her roses here at the moment. I got a few shots off but I'm ashamed to post them now I've seen yours. The ones here seem to have an inordinately long proboscis. 'Spose I'd better post something now!
Regards,
Gouldiae
Hi Mosura,
ReplyDeleteI recently watched David Attenborough's "Life in the Undergrowth" and Hover Flies had a special appearance there. Good to see them again and in such fine detail!
Cheers!