Fly...Very Strange..Need Help with ID
Jul 15, 2019 09:13:38 #
This is one of the strangest flies that I have yet to see. It landed on my knee as I was watching a few of our dogs do their business. The cloth in the image is my blue jean pant leg. There were an abundance of insects around our campsite so I kept the camera ready for just such an occasion.
It's color was a bluish gray with black markings. What I found to be so strange is the way that it at with its wings upright which it kep that way the entire time it blessed me with its presence.
Thanks in advance for any ID help and for your comments, suggestions and critique and I realize that this may not be the best although to me it surely was very strange.
It's color was a bluish gray with black markings. What I found to be so strange is the way that it at with its wings upright which it kep that way the entire time it blessed me with its presence.
Thanks in advance for any ID help and for your comments, suggestions and critique and I realize that this may not be the best although to me it surely was very strange.
Jul 15, 2019 14:11:44 #
sippyjug104 wrote:
This is one of the strangest flies that I have yet... (show quote)
The Jean's and fly colors compliment.
Did the fly pose and dance?
Did it constantly rotate the wings about 90 degrees while elevated?
This points to Picture winged flies, Platystomátidae.
To butterfly post.
Bill
Jul 15, 2019 14:16:01 #
Bill, yes...in fact it did. At times it would turn its wings to appear in a way like a peacock's tail. Then at times it would turn them along their body. It never put its wings down any of the time that it sat on my leg which it was quite comfortable doing until I finally got out of the chair.
Jul 15, 2019 14:28:09 #
Jul 15, 2019 14:37:33 #
sippyjug104 wrote:
Bill, yes...in fact it did. At times it would turn its wings to appear in a way like a peacock's tail. Then at times it would turn them along their body. It never put its wings down any of the time that it sat on my leg which it was quite comfortable doing until I finally got out of the chair.
Or possibly a fruit fly.
Bill
Jul 15, 2019 16:01:34 #
Bill, when it would face me its wings would appear in the way that a peacock displays its tail feathers. It was a blueish grey with black spot markings. Its total size was about that of a fingernail. You can see from the thread weave of my blue jeans how small it was.
Jul 15, 2019 20:41:15 #
Saw one just the other day in the garden. Ran to get the camera. Came back, and it was gone. But I got decent pix a few years ago.
Its the peacock fly, Callopistromyia annulipes. Like many of the picture-winged flies it seems literally unable to walk without waving its wings. This is how they signal to each other for mating.
Its the peacock fly, Callopistromyia annulipes. Like many of the picture-winged flies it seems literally unable to walk without waving its wings. This is how they signal to each other for mating.
Jul 15, 2019 21:16:11 #
Thanks Mark, the way that it turned its wings to fan behind it reminded me of a peacock strutting its tail. This was a first for me and had it not chosen my leg to park itself I'm sure that I would yet to see one. Lucky I had my camera in hand. It had me in a quite awkward position between not wanting to move and yet getting the camera as close as possible to it without scaring it away.
Jul 16, 2019 02:53:01 #
Jul 16, 2019 08:28:03 #
Brenda, I'm pleased to say that it found me. It and the butterflies wouldn't leave once they would land on me while I was sitting in the lawn chair waiting for our dogs to do their business.
Jul 17, 2019 18:44:03 #
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