Thursday 1 September 2011

Picture-Winged Fly

Picture-Winged Fly, Rhagoletis cerasii.  Hayes Common, 6 August 2011.
Picture-Winged Fly, Rhagoletis cerasi.  Hayes Common, 6 August 2011.
Flies with patterned wings like this are called picture-winged. The name defines their appearance and does not signify a particular genus or group.

Recently, I was out with a group at Lullingstone Country Park when a large and pretty fly landed on my right hand. "Oh, look," I said, thinking that if it had landed on my left hand I would have been able to photograph it. (I am right-handed.) "It's a picture-winged fly." It didn't show any inclination to fly off as I showed it to the others. Then it stuck its proboscis into me and started to feed .. so, with little regret, I shook it off.

The little fly shown above was a different type and in a different place. It is a cherry fruit-fly, and it did not attempt to eat me.

1 comment:

  1. What a remarkable creature. Mutant? I never saw the like in my own hemisphere, though I keep watching more closely. Of course, as always, a fine photograph.

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