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These hoverfly apparently mimics a bee, but not any bee: it mimics the European bee (Apis mellifera) which was introduced to South America in the last century or so. It is an amazing example of selective adaptation in a very short time.
Close to the river in the andean valleys of Azuay, Ecuador.
There are similar species in Europe, where Apis mellifera is native of.
Hi Cindy, It really looks like Eristanilus taeniops, but ... it is far from its original geographic distribution (Portugal, Spain and around the Mediterranean, Turkey, Lebanon, Israel, North Africa, The Canary Islands, The Caucasus, Eastern parts of Afrotropical region to South Africa, Nepal Northern Pakistan and Northern India, Iran). Nevertheless, if it was introduced in the Florida, there is a chance to find it here in the neotropics. Thanks for the suggestion.
Spotted on Jan 7, 2012
Submitted on Jan 7, 2012
+3
