Tag Archive | Laphria

Laphria are back!

Jul4

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I came up to SFU today to give a practice run-through of my PhD defense seminar (it is next week!). The talk went OK, given that I had not practiced it, but afterward, at lunch, I went out to see what I could see in the forest behind the lab. What I saw was this beautiful bee-like robber fly (Laphria spp.) munching down on a bumblebee! I hope you enjoy the pictures!

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This fly was being very uncooperative, facing away from the camera on a high bush.

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Laphria are likely Batesian mimics of bumblebees, and you can see the resemblance here.

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Here is the last shot I got of the pair, as the robber takes off to find a paparazzi-free perch to enjoy its meal.

 

Productive slacking

Jul17

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Occasionally, when it is a nice day out, it is too much to be good and stay in…Even when I am fighting the good fight, writing grant proposals and revising manuscripts, sometimes the lure of the outdoors becomes irresistible. This morning was one of those times. Just before lunch, I grabbed my camera and headed out to shoot for 40 minutes in the SFU Community Garden.  I am glad I did, because it was the most productive 40 minutes shooting in a long while!

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I was extremely excited to see these beautiful halictids out.  I am pretty sure this is Agapostemon but it is hard to tell with the tibia so loaded with pollen!

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I thought there might be a spider associated with this dead Cabbage White, but the only thing feeding was this fly. Pretty cool anyhow!

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This Philodromid gives a good lesson in persistence and struggling through adversity.

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I really can’t get enough of these Halictids. They are just like living jewels!

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Takeoff!

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The crème de la crème of the outing was this beautiful Laphria with a honeybee. I only had a short time with this beauty, as the strong wind caused it to fly far when I startled it.

So overall, my little adventure produced some decent shots! To top it off, when I returned to the lab I got an email informing me that a paper I am coauthor on had been accepted for publication in the Canadian Entomologist. Productive slacking! Is there anything better?