"... even Hoverflies do it ..."

[billtils]

Given my recent record of 100% incorrect identifications, the title is a bit of a risk, but couldn't resist

[ST1]

Nice capture Bill, the shadow shapes (Net shadow?) on the spherical object add to the image making what I take to be a man made object less in your face IYSWIM.

[billtils]

Nice capture Bill, the shadow shapes (Net shadow?) on the spherical object add to the image making what I take to be a man made object less in your face IYSWIM.

Thanks Peter. You are correct - the flies are on the lid of a bird feeder and the shadow is from a metal mesh food tray above it on the pole.

[Wavelength]

Very nice; but why, "even"?

[billtils]

Very nice; but why, "even"?

It's a take on the Ella Fitzgerald song "Birds do it, Bees do it", the first line of which is 'Birds do it, bees do it Even educated fleas do it Let's do it, let's fall in love'.

[DanK]

Given my recent record of 100% incorrect identifications,

Good capture. They are most definitely flies, not bees or wasps. You can readily see 3 of the 4 key indicators in this shot:

--the flat antennae
--the shape of the eyes, which wrap around the head.
--the halteres: the little yellow spheres below the base of the wings

What you can't clearly see is implied by the existence of the halteres: two wings rather than four. Flies constitute the order Diptera, which means "two wings."

That comes close to exhausting what little I know...

[Geoff F]

Definitely hoverflies but I can't place them from that angle. Those rather square abdomen spots remind me of some Platycheirus species but in that case the male should have some form of expanded tibia/tarsus. Maybe the flat expanded area is in side view from that angle and not obvious?

But the scutellum looks yellow so that would point in a different direction; more like Eupeodes, but most of them have different shapes to the spot edges? A rather 'chunky' looking male so that rules out some of the alternative slender species.

Plenty of fine detail in the shot.

[bnnrcn]

Nice image Bill

[billtils]

Thanks Dan, Geoff and Binnur.

Geoff - I think they may be Syrphus sp, based on this and a few other sources. The collar of hair behind the head, the colour of the female femur, and the body ending with a slightly pointed black segment would fit, but the only thing that seems certain is that they are hoverflies

[Rainforest]

Nice! shot. I love the blue net and all the fine detail.

[Geoff F]

It can't be a Syrphus, Bill. Note how the cross bands of that group narrow as they approach the abdomen edge.

I suppose one of the Epistrophe species might be possible? Something strange about the male legs because when I zoom in I can only clearly see two on that side.

However, without a top view we will never be certain.

[billtils]

Thanks Geoff - your expert and knowledgable input is always most welcome!

[IzzieK]

Here is another example of a blue shadow like what Judith (Urban flyer) has in her post awhile ago. Good clear shot, Mark... and also for the Ella Fitzgerald song...for Nandy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RPerSEvP4Y