Epistalis tenax (Drone fly)
Written by Monday, 08 June 2009 00:00
“God sleeps in the minerals, awakens in plants, walks in animals, and thinks in man.” Arthur Young
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Epistalis tenax (Family: Syrphidae; common name: Drone fly) Eristalis tenax is a European hoverfly, also known as the drone fly (or "dronefly"). The adult fly that emerges from the pupa is harmless. It looks somewhat like a drone honey bee, and likely gains some degree of protection from this resemblance to a stinging insect. The adults are called drone flies because of this resemblance. Like other hover flies, they are common visitors to flowers, especially in late summer and autumn, and can be significant pollinators. In its natural habitat, E. tenax is more of a curiosity than a problem, and the adults are beneficial pollinators (1). We saw one of them spending time on a chrysanthemum – most probably feeding on it. The drone fly allowed us to get really close and take pictures from different angles. One picture which is of particular interest is the one which shows its wings with almost perfect clarity without any reflections from either the sun or the flash unit. Photos by Marina Parha and George J. Reclos 1. Camera: Nikon D700 2.Camera: Nikon D700 3. Camera: Nikon D700 4. Camera: Nikon D700 (1) Wikipedia |
These photographs are the property of MCH Portal and cannot be reproduced without the written permission of the This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
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