Robber Fly laying eggs

Mike Jackson · #1 (**permalink**) 07-09-2009, 08:20 PM

Well I assume that's what it's doing. It's nice to see a bit of natural behaviour rather than just sitting there.

Dogghound · #2 (**permalink**) 08-09-2009, 10:25 AM

It is a female Tolmerus atricapillus. As for the behaviour im not 100% sure its laying eggs, I always thought this species had ground dwelling larvae. Although dont quote me on that. Most species do lay in decaying matter, rotten wood, dung etc but I think a couple of genera lay on plants.

Mike Jackson · #3 (**permalink**) 08-09-2009, 03:38 PM

Thanks for that. It spent quite a while flitting from plant to plant displaying the same behaviour which looked like egg laying behaviour.

charlieb · #4 (**permalink**) 13-09-2009, 07:41 PM

Stubbs and Drake say of Machimus atricapillus "to lay their eggs in flower heads of sedges, hawkweed and other plants;" and "among the bracts of the seed head of wild basil in mid September".

What plant is it on?