Posts Tagged: freeloader fly

A Bright Face in the Garden: Banded Argiope

We have bright faces in our Vacaville, Calif., pollinator garden. The bright faces are usually that of assorted bees and butterflies nectaring on members of the sunflower family: Mexican sunflower (Tithonia) and blanketflowers (Gaillardia). But...

A banded garden spider, Argiope trifasciata, stretches out near its wrapped bee in a Vacaville, Calif. pollinator garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A banded garden spider, Argiope trifasciata, stretches out near its wrapped bee in a Vacaville, Calif. pollinator garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

See the freeloader fly, family Milichiidae, feasting on the wrapped bee? Below it: the banded garden spider, Argiope trifasciata. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

See the freeloader fly, family Milichiidae, feasting on the wrapped bee? Below it: the banded garden spider, Argiope trifasciata. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Close-up of the banded garden spider, Argiope trifasciata. Argiope is Latin for “with bright face” while trifasciata is Latin for “three-banded.” (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Close-up of the banded garden spider, Argiope trifasciata. Argiope is Latin for “with bright face” while trifasciata is Latin for “three-banded.” (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

There Is Such a Thing as a Free Lunch

There is such a thing as a free lunch. And a free breakfast. And a free dinner. And a free snack. That is, if you're a freeloader fly. If you've ever watched a spider snare a bee or other insect in its web, and wrap it like a fit-to-be-tied...

A freeloader fly dines on a bee freshly killed by a garden spider. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A freeloader fly dines on a bee freshly killed by a garden spider. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Close-up of a freeloader fly, family Milichiidae. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Close-up of a freeloader fly, family Milichiidae. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Buddy, Can You Share a Meal?

The next time you see a spider eating a bee snared in its web, look closely. The spider may not be alone. It may have a dinner companion.  A freeloader fly. The common name, "freeloader fly," refers to the Milichiidae family. These flies are very...

Freeloader fly sharing a meal with a spider. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Freeloader fly sharing a meal with a spider. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Freeloader fly perched on top of a spider's prey. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Freeloader fly perched on top of a spider's prey. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

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