As soon as the sun climbs 1/2 way up the sky most summer days, the syrphid flies are a frenetic, difficult- to-photograph swarm above whatever flowers they find attractive at the time: alyssum, ageratum, coreopsis, basil, coneflowers, daisies, etc. But in the crepuscular hours when the sun is low and the air is cool, the syrphids slow way down and it's possible to photograph them if you see them out in the open.
#1 was found at around 8 in the morning, just before everyone leaves for work and as the fly was beginning to work the ageratum for nectar.
I noticed #2 perched at a 45 degree angle to the substrate (a ratibida disk/cone/thing) at dusk-ish, 7:15 pm or so. I've seen syrphids maintain a similar posture on twigs or flower stems overnight, but this one was still awake and moved from one disk flower to another, sipping nectar.
1 comment:
I have an orange legged truncated bee/wasp. The bottom half/rear end is solid orange not striped 2 wings on back that continuously flutter as they sip nectar, head is gold. 4 legs jointed. Can you identify, I have never seen them before in my garden, they are among the bumbles and they are not as plentiful as the bumbles .
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