Master Gardeners of Ventura County
University of California
Master Gardeners of Ventura County

Posts Tagged: Syrphid Fly

It's Friday Fly Day: How About a Mexican Cactus Fly?

It's Friday Fly Day, when folks post images of flies.  Flies seem to the entomological equivalent of Rodney Dangerfield's "I-don't-get-no-respect" quote. So how about a black syrphid fly, a Mexican cactus...

A black syrphid fly, a Mexican cactus fly, Copestylum mexicanum, foraging on a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifolia, in a Vacaville garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A black syrphid fly, a Mexican cactus fly, Copestylum mexicanum, foraging on a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifolia, in a Vacaville garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A black syrphid fly, a Mexican cactus fly, Copestylum mexicanum, foraging on a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifolia, in a Vacaville garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Friday, September 13, 2024 at 8:00 PM
Focus Area Tags: Environment, Innovation, Natural Resources, Yard & Garden

Pink Sugar and a Syrphid

Who doesn't like "Pink Sugar?" No, not the sweetener. The brilliantly colored Arctotis "Pink Sugar," also known as a pink African daisy. "The genus name Arctotis is derived from Greek words 'arktos', which means "a bear" and 'otos' meaning...

A syrphid fly forages on an Arctotis
A syrphid fly forages on an Arctotis "Pink Sugar" African daisy in Vacaville. Note the raindrops on the blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A syrphid fly forages on an Arctotis "Pink Sugar" African daisy in Vacaville. Note the raindrops on the blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Thursday, February 15, 2024 at 5:46 PM
Tags: Arctotis (1), honorary bee (1), Pink Sugar (1), Syrphid Fly (28)
Focus Area Tags: Environment, Natural Resources, Yard & Garden

The Spider, the Syrphid and the Zinnia

What are you having for Thanksgiving? Turkey and all the trimmings? Well, this little jumping spider had his sights set on ambushing a delicious syrphid fly. Here's the scenario: The syrphid fly, a pollinator, hovers over a...

A syrphid fly touches down on a zinnia, unaware of a stalking jumping spider. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A syrphid fly touches down on a zinnia, unaware of a stalking jumping spider. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A syrphid fly touches down on a zinnia, unaware of a stalking jumping spider. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Closer and closer comes the jumping spider. The syrphid fly does not see him. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Closer and closer comes the jumping spider. The syrphid fly does not see him. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Closer and closer comes the jumping spider. The syrphid fly does not see him. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The syrphid fly slurps the nectar, unaware she is being watched. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The syrphid fly slurps the nectar, unaware she is being watched. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The syrphid fly slurps the nectar, unaware she is being watched. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Ready, set...the jumping spider starts his jump to nail the syrphid fly. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Ready, set...the jumping spider starts his jump to nail the syrphid fly. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Ready, set...the jumping spider starts his jump to nail the syrphid fly. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Missed! Hey, where'd you go? (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Missed! Hey, where'd you go? (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Missed! Hey, where'd you go? (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Wednesday, November 23, 2022 at 8:06 AM
Tags: ambush (2), jumping spider (24), meal (1), syrphid fly (28), Thanksgiving (11), zinnia (11)
Focus Area Tags: Environment, Yard & Garden

Friday Fly Day: A Syrphid Fly and a Butterfly

It's Friday Fly Day and time to post a syrphid fly with a butterfly. The occasion: a syrphid fly and the Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae) or passion butterfly are sharing a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola, and neither...

A syprhid fly and a Gulf Fritillary sharing a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A syprhid fly and a Gulf Fritillary sharing a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A syprhid fly and a Gulf Fritillary sharing a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Friday, November 18, 2022 at 4:19 PM
Focus Area Tags: Environment, Innovation

To Be a Fly on Friday, What a Day!

To be a fly on Friday, what a day! Entomologists who came up with "Friday Fly Day" are having a lot of fun posting images on social media of flies on Friday. If you access WikiHow, "What to Do on a Friday Night," you'll find all kinds of...

A syrphid fly foraging on a mellow yellow blanket flower, Gaillardia. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A syrphid fly foraging on a mellow yellow blanket flower, Gaillardia. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A syrphid fly foraging on a mellow yellow blanket flower, Gaillardia. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Ready for take-off? A syrphid fly, aka flower fly and hover fly, prepares to leave a Gaillardia on Friday Fly Day. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Ready for take-off? A syrphid fly, aka flower fly and hover fly, prepares to leave a Gaillardia on Friday Fly Day. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Ready for take-off? A syrphid fly, aka flower fly and hover fly, prepares to leave a Gaillardia on Friday Fly Day. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Friday, September 16, 2022 at 4:39 PM
Focus Area Tags: Environment, Innovation, Yard & Garden

Read more

 
E-mail
 

 

 

Webmaster Email: jtyler@ucanr.edu