Flower-feeding March Fly

Scaptia sp.

Description:

Big green eyes, black and yellow furry body like a bee, about European Honey Bee size

Habitat:

Coastal remnant sclerophyll woods on a large Pittosporum undulata bush by the track. (right hand side and after the Red Gum in the last image)

Notes:

this one was quite happty to be photographed and have the branches and leaves moved about to give camera better access. Wish they were all so accommodating! Not many references on this genus. # Tabanid fly The genders http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/165... (Mark Ridgeway) and http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/124... (martinl)

Species ID Suggestions

7 Comments

StephenSolomons 10 years ago

Thanks gatorfellows and Maria

gatorfellows 10 years ago

nice job getting this spotting :)

Maria dB 10 years ago

Very nice series showing its environment as well

StephenSolomons 10 years ago

Thanks Martin, I thought I had commented on this but it has disappeared, ah well. I was surprised to see Leuba's dead link. Her spotting was the one that came up on Google first and I had the image on screen just a few moments ago. But I looked again and it is gone. The links you have given me can go up to notes.

Saumya Wanniarachchi 10 years ago

Beautiful and cute fly !

StephenSolomons 10 years ago

Thanks Martin, Leuba's link surprises me it was just on my screen but I checked and you are correct

MartinL 10 years ago

Nice spotting
Seems like the males have eyes touching
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/165...
and the females have a gap there
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/124...
Check the link to Leubas spotting seems to be dead.