Natural History Photographs




Flies
Neoitamus spec.
Hasliberg; 30 June - 3 July 2008. Left, male; right, female.
Villa cf. cingulata
Nederlands:Kalkvilla
Hasliberg; 10 July 2008.
Bombylius semifuscus
Innertkirchen (ca. 1400 m); 9 July 2008.
Mesembrina mystacea
Rosenlaui; 1 July 2008.
Stratiomys chamaeleon
Authority:(Linnaeus, 1758)
Nederlands:Kalklangsprietwapenvlieg
English:clubbed general
Reichenbachfall; 29 June 2008.

Several of these magnificent Soldierflies were feeding on Hogweed growing on a small patch of unused land close to the Reichenbachfall.
Sericomyia bombiformis
Authority:(Fallén, 1810)
Synonyms:Arctophila bombiformis (Fallén, 1810)
Nederlands:Grote fophommel
Deutsch:Hummel-Gebirgsschwebfliege
Hasliberg; 3 July 2008.

As its name suggests, this hoverfly mimics bumblebees. The match between model and mimic is often not very well conveyed by photographs, since they freeze the insect, eliminating all dynamic aspects. This might apply to these photos, too - they obviously show a fly mimicking a bumblebee. But in reality I perceived a bumblebee - only to realize after a minute or so it might not be a bee at all! Since very similar bumblebees were rather common, and bumblebees can sting, this species might well enjoy generous protection from its color pattern.
Chrysotoxum arcuatum
Authority:(Linnaeus, 1758)
Nederlands:Bolle fopwesp
Deutsch:Späte Wespenschwebfliege
Norsk:liten vepseblomsterflue
Svenska:välvd getingfluga
Innertkirchen (ca. 1400 m); 9 July 2008.
Hasliberg; 6 July 2008.
Chrysotoxum bicinctum
Authority:(Linnaeus, 1758)
Nederlands:Donkere fopwesp
Deutsch:Zweiband-Wespenschwebfliege
Norsk:tobåndet vepseblomsterflue
Svenska:tvåbandad getingfluga
Hasliberg; 5 - 9 July 2008.

While I photographed this beautiful hoverfly, it expelled a droplet of yellow fluid - the meconium. This consist in metabolic waste products accumulated during metamorphosis. As the meconium is expelled shortly upon emergence, this hoverfly had only just eclosed before I spotted it.

Hasliberg; 6 July 2008.
Epistrophe grossulariae
Authority:(Meigen, 1822)
Nederlands:Zwartspriet-bandzweefvlieg
Deutsch:Große Wiesenschwebfliege
Norsk:stor skogbrynflue
Svenska:större brynblomfluga
 
Hasliberg; 6 July 2008. Hasliberg; 6 - 10 July 2008.
Hasliberg; 6 - 10 July 2008.
Dasysyrphus pinastri
Authority:(De Geer, 1776)
Nederlands:Zwartspriet-wimperzweefvlieg
Deutsch:Mondfleck-Waldschwebfliege
Norsk:furuskogblomsterflue
Svenska:större skogsblomfluga
Rosenlaui; 1 July 2008.
Eristalis jugorum
Authority:Egger, 1858
Nederlands:Snuitbijvlieg
Deutsch:Gebirgs-Keilfleckschwebfliege
Hasliberg; 29 June 2008.
Eristalis nemorum
Authority:(Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonyms:Eristalis interrupta (Poda, 1761)
Nederlands:Puntbijvlieg
Norsk:engdroneflue
Hasliberg; 29 June 2008.
Leucozona laternaria
Authority:(Müller, 1776)
Nederlands:Donkere melkzweefvlieg
Norsk:mørk lykteblomsterflue
Svenska:mörk lyktblomfluga
Hasliberg; 10 July 2008.
Leucozona lucorum
Authority:(Linnaeus, 1758)
Nederlands:Withaar-melkzweefvlieg
Deutsch:Weißbandschwebfliege
Norsk:lyshåret lykteblomsterflue
Svenska:ljushårig lyktblomfluga
Innertkirchen (ca. 1400 m); 9 July 2008.
Leucozona glaucia
Authority:(Linnaeus, 1758)
Nederlands:Doorzichtig-gele melkzweefvlieg
Norsk:lys lykteblomsterflue
Svenska:ljus lyktblomfluga
Hasliberg; 5 - 10 July 2008.
Melangyna spec.
Hasliberg; 5 July 2008. Reichenbachfall; 29 June - 5 July 2008.
Meliscaeva auricollis
Authority:(Meigen, 1822)
Nederlands:Variabel elfje
Norsk:skråflekket krattblomsterflue
Svenska:kragflickblomfluga
Rosenlaui; 1 July 2008.
Paragus cf finitimus
Authority:Goeldlin, 1971
Norsk:rødhalet steppeblomsterflue
Svenska:Taggig stäppblomfluga
Hasliberg; 3 July 2008.
Platycheirus spec.
Hasliberg; 8 July 2008.
Scaeva pyrastri
Authority:(Linnaeus, 1758)
Nederlands:Witte halvemaanzweefvlieg
Deutsch:Späte Großstirnschwebfliege
Norsk:hvit glassvingeblomsterflue
Svenska:glasvingefluga
Hasliberg; 5 July 2008.
Scaeva selenitica
Authority:(Meigen, 1822)
Nederlands:Gele halvemaanzweefvlieg
Deutsch:Frühe Großstirnschwebfliege
Norsk:gul glassvingeblomsterflue
Svenska:glasvingeblomfluga
Hasliberg; 5 July 2008.
Sericomyia lappona
Authority:(Linnaeus, 1758)
Nederlands:Donkere veenzweefvlieg
Deutsch:Weißbandtorfschwebfliege
Norsk:fjelltigerflue
Svenska:lapptorvblomfluga
Innertkirchen (ca. 1400 m); 9 July 2008.
Volucella pellucens
Authority:(Linnaeus, 1758)
Nederlands:Witte reus
Norsk:hvitbåndet humleblomsterflue
Svenska:fönsterblomfluga
Hasliberg; 10 July 2008.
Xanthandrus comtus
Authority:(Harris, 1780)
Nederlands:Platte zweefvlieg
Deutsch:Raupen-Plattbauchschwebfliege
Norsk:møllblomsterflue
Svenska:malblomfluga
Hasliberg; 5 July 2008.
Haematopota spec.
Hasliberg; 3 - 10 July 2008.
Hybomitra spec.
Hasliberg; 6 July 2008.
Hybomitra caucasica
Hasliberg; 9 July 2008.
Hybomitra auripila
Authority:(Meigen, 1820)
Nederlands:Goudhaarknobbeldaas
Norsk:Gullhårsklegg
Hasliberg; 5 July 2008.
Tabanus bromius
Authority:Linnaeus, 1758
Nederlands:Kleine runderdaas
English:Band-eyed brown horsefly
Deutsch:Gemeine Viehbremse
Norsk:Gråklegg
Hasliberg; 4 - 10 July 2008.