WildView™

July 23, 2023

Flower Fly

- as seen by -

Byron Towles

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A harmless hover fly of the Syrphidae family caught my eye one morning in the New York Botanical Garden. Its coloration and the patterns of its body have evolved to mimic a stinging bee or wasp, allowing it to feed on flower nectar without fear of predation by most predators. Like bees, they are beneficial as pollinators.

Yellow-on-yellow made for a sunny photo as well as a bit of camouflage for this insect.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Enter our Wild View assignment and photo contest Summer Celebration with your photos showing lively colors like bright blues, sunny yellows, rich reds, and deep greens that dynamically display the diversity in nature.

Canon EOS 50D with Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens

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