Bubble blowing fly

[Bruce Williams]

Stony Stratford, Bucks.

I'm sure this question has been asked before, however:

As you can see from the pic this tiny fly is blowing a bubble. Now this is something you come across all the time with flies from the biggest to the smallest of species. They blow the bubble out then suck it back in - then blow it out again etc...

So why do they do this?

The fly in the pic is probably/possibly Coenosia cf. testacea and measures approx. 3.5mm in length.



Bruce

[Jason Claxton]

Yes Bruce I've noticed that too.
I've heard that flies regurgitate their food as a bubble so that some of the water evaporates off reducing the volume of the meal and concentrating it.I too though would like to hear though from a Dipterist,whether this is this correct or not.

Jason.

[JRsbugs]

There's a long running thread on this under the 'hottest threads' in the left column on diptera.info Bruce.

[Bruce Williams]

Excellent thread Janet - thanks for the nod.

Jason - thanks for your suggestions - very much in line with the diptera.info thread.

Bruce

[nikolai_avenger]

Most interesting. I had wondered about this before.

Great photo again, Bruce. The level of detail in your pictures is amazing.

Cheers. Nik.

[pressld2]

Fascinating! I saw a fly doing this two weekends back. I don't know the species but the bubble was a deep blood red. I'll try and post a pic later tonight.

Dave P.

[pressld2]

Here's my one...


Now you see it... Now you don't (much)

As for species, I'm leaning towards Fannia canicularis but my only reference is Complete British Insects and it could well be something that's not in there.

Dave P.

[Bruce Williams]

Thanks for your comments Nik .

Interesting pics Dave - thanks for posting. Hopefully you'll get a nod or otherwise on identification from one of our experts .

Here's another pic I took recently that shows (some of) the mouthparts through the bubble. I think it's a Mid-day fly (Mesembrina meridiana).



Bruce

[JRsbugs]

Dave, I think your fly is more likely a female Muscidae, difficult to say anything more. If you can see how many rows of bristles it has on the thorax between the suture and scutellum that would help at least for the family, Muscids have 4 where Anthomyiidae have 3. Fanniidae don't have a suture but as usual with all there's the occasional exception.

Fantastic shot of Mesembrina meridiana (Noon Fly ) Bruce! They don't sit still long enough for me, maybe one day I'll be lucky.

[pressld2]

Thanks Janet.

Stonking image Bruce! A real corker.

Dave P.