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| 1 | 2 |  » Stats |
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25-08-2010, 09:12 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: S. Devon
Posts: 3,897
| | | Eristalis arbustorum washing it's neck
I've never seen a hoverfly going to this much trouble to wash it's neck before. It looks as though it is trying to unscrew it's head! |
26-08-2010, 12:27 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Lincoln
Posts: 4,826
| | | Re: Eristalis arbustorum washing it's neck
You can't have been watcing them enough Geoff! I have often seen them twisting their heads off, and they say flies are dirty.
You have Eristalis interrupta.
Janet 
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26-08-2010, 12:30 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Scunthorpe, Nth Lincs
Posts: 2,687
| | | Re: Eristalis arbustorum washing it's neck
Quote:
Originally Posted by Geoff F  I've never seen a hoverfly going to this much trouble to wash it's neck before. It looks as though it is trying to unscrew it's head! | I hope it didn't forget to do behind it's ears.  |
26-08-2010, 03:20 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: S. Devon
Posts: 3,897
| | | Re: Eristalis arbustorum washing it's neck
Yes they often twist their heads beyond 90 degrees but I have never previously noticed one with this much clear gap between the head and thorax.
Perhaps it is my fault for having dirty pollen.
I did originally think that this was E. interruptus, Janet, but I have other angles which clearly show a plain face and smudged stigma; although the abdomen markings are a little unusual.
Last edited by Geoff F; 26-08-2010 at 03:25 PM.
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26-08-2010, 03:50 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Lincoln
Posts: 4,826
| | | Re: Eristalis arbustorum washing it's neck
The stigma can be smudged but it still looks squarish.
There are other pointers to look for in E. arbustorum such as black hairs on the hind tibia.
They are visible in this pic of a male E. arbustorum.. 
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26-08-2010, 04:00 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Lincoln
Posts: 4,826
| | | Re: Eristalis arbustorum washing it's neck
Another pointer is the hind tarsi of E. interrupta has orange spines on the anteroventral surface, these can just be seen in your pic. http://www.canacoll.org/Diptera/Staf...s_Plate_5a.jpg
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26-08-2010, 05:16 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Gloucestershire
Posts: 2,757
| | | Re: Eristalis arbustorum washing it's neck
It's amazing the way their legs sem to be double-jointed when combing off pollen! Fun watching when they do their antennae.
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27-08-2010, 05:18 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: S. Devon
Posts: 3,897
| | | Re: Eristalis arbustorum washing it's neck
Yes you are correct, Janet. Those crafty flies must have pulled a switch on me!
This is the one which I had been following and waiting to get a suitable identification angle. 
I followed it from the flower towards a leaf and possibly while I was checking my camera review screen they must have switched.
When I looked at an enlargement of the original, everything became clear! |
06-09-2010, 03:58 PM
| | Wild Member | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Stamford, Lincolnshire
Posts: 181
| | | Re: Eristalis arbustorum washing it's neck
Hello
Could we have the data for the recording scheme please?
Date, Grid Ref, Location, Recorder
Regards
Roger | | |
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