Tag Archives: diptera

08.22.2022 What gets me excited

Posted on August 22, 2022 by Steve Gingold

Well, it obviously doesn’t take much but finding a new insect, especially an attractive one, does get me going. Feather-legged Fly-Trichopoda pennipes on boneset. These are bee mimics and the “feathers” on the legs resemble the pollen baskets found on … Continue reading →

Posted in Amherst, Closeup Photography, Insects, macro photography, Nature Photography, Western Massachusetts | Tagged Amherst, diptera, Feather-legged fly, insect, Massachusetts, New England, parasitic fly, Tachinidae, Tachnid Fly, Trichopoda pennipes, western massachusetts | 12 Comments

08.20.2022 Syrphid Saturday

Posted on August 20, 2022 by Steve Gingold

Don’t I wish that Syrphid Saturday could become an ongoing series. That would take some doing as, although there are over 900 Syrphid species in the U.S., as of yet I’ve only seen a handful in the yard and elsewhere. … Continue reading →

Posted in Amherst, Closeup Photography, Flora, Insects, macro photography, Nature Photography, Western Massachusetts | Tagged Amherst, Clematis virginiana, diptera, Eristalis transversa, flora, Hover Flies, insect, Massachusetts, native flowers, native plant, native wildflower, New England, Syrphid Fly, Syrphidae, Transverse Flower Fly, Virginia Virgin's Bower, western massachusetts, Wildflowers | 18 Comments

08.10.2022 Our friend the Robber Fly

Posted on August 10, 2022 by Steve Gingold

They seem to be mean little guys. They eat other insects including flies. But, aside from being part of the balance Nature supports, they also keep pests under control. Robber Fly-Efferia aestuans male with Striped Deer Fly-Chrysops vittatus. The image … Continue reading →

Posted in Amherst, Closeup Photography, Insect Behavior, Insects, macro photography, Nature Photography, Western Massachusetts | Tagged Amherst, Asilidae, Chrysops vittatus, diptera, Efferia aestuans, insect, Massachusetts, New England, Robber Fly, Tabanidae, western massachusetts | 16 Comments

08.10.2022 Another new one for the year

Posted on August 10, 2022 by Steve Gingold

I love having titles like this. Diversity rules! I noticed this little fly from afar as I was visiting the larger of two Boneset plants in our small woods. It was so small and skinny I wasn’t sure from that … Continue reading →

Posted in Amherst, Closeup Photography, Insects, macro photography, Nature Photography, Western Massachusetts | Tagged Allograpta obliqua, Amherst, Common Oblique Syrphid, diptera, Hover Fly, insect, Massachusetts, New England, Syrphidae, western massachusetts | 20 Comments

08.04.2022 If You Like Hover Flies

Posted on August 4, 2022 by Steve Gingold

It’s almost 100° in the shade this afternoon but I try to get out in the yard every day and insects are quite active in the hot sun. I saw a lot of cool wasps and when I wandered into … Continue reading →

Posted in Amherst, Closeup Photography, Insects, macro photography, Nature Photography, Western Massachusetts | Tagged Amherst, diptera, Massachusetts, New England, Orthonevra nitida, Syrphid Fly, Syrphidae, Wavy Mudsucker, western massachusetts | 18 Comments

07.31.2022 Hooray for Holcocephala

Posted on July 31, 2022 by Steve Gingold

I’ve been hoping for robber flies all summer and finally saw one yesterday. It’s quite a looker with those big goo goo googly eyes. I was pretty happy with that shot but shifted around the Showy Tick-trefoil plant and got … Continue reading →

Posted in Amherst, Closeup Photography, Insects, macro photography, Nature Photography, Western Massachusetts | Tagged Amherst, Asilidae, diptera, Holcocephala calva, insect, Massachusetts, New England, Orthorrhapha, Robber Fly, western massachusetts | 10 Comments

06.18.2022 Stained Glass WIngs

Posted on June 18, 2022 by Steve Gingold

Among the many reasons we encourage wildflowers in the yard are the insects. And among the reasons we encourage Daisy Fleabanes are the various species of Syrphid or Hoverflies they attract. And among the many reasons I like to see … Continue reading →

Posted in Closeup Photography, Insect Behavior, macro photography, Nature Photography, Western Massachusetts | Tagged Amherst, diptera, Hoverfly, insect, Margined Calligrapher, Massachusetts, New England, Syrphid Fly, Toxomerus marginatus, western massachusetts, Wildflowers | 30 Comments

06.17.2022 A third entry anyone?

Posted on June 17, 2022 by Steve Gingold

Every once in a while I get carried away with multiple posts. And this one is in bad taste too. If you are ever at an outdoor cafe and asked “What’ll you have?” as this guy flies by don’t say … Continue reading →

Posted in Amherst, Closeup Photography, Insect Behavior, Insects, Nature Photography, Western Massachusetts | Tagged Amherst, dew drops, diptera, Dung Fly, Hickory Ridge, insect, insect with dewdrops, Massachusetts, Muscoidea, New England, Scathophaga furcata, Scathophagidae, western massachusetts | 16 Comments

06.05.2022 Let me introduce you to my little friend

Posted on June 5, 2022 by Steve Gingold

Off the top of my head, and so far during the time I have been photographing entomology subjects, this is probably my favorite insect, or maybe my favorite fly, and definitely my favorite snipe fly. While visiting Brickyard Conservation Area … Continue reading →

Posted in Amherst, Closeup Photography, Insect Behavior, Insects, Nature Photography, Western Massachusetts | Tagged Amherst, Brickyard Conservation Area, Brickyard Meadow, Chrysopilus thoracicus, diptera, Golden-backed Snipe Fly-, insect, Massachusetts, New England, Rhagionidae, western massachusetts | 35 Comments

06.02.2022 In flagrante delicto-Cranefly Style

Posted on June 2, 2022 by Steve Gingold

When I visited MacLeod Field here in Amherst Monday morning, I was hoping to find either some early summer wildflowers, I did not, or insects, I did. Apparently May 30th is the special day for whatever species of Tipula this … Continue reading →

Posted in Closeup Photography, Insect Behavior, Insects, Nature Photography | Tagged cranefly, diptera, flies, mating craneflies, mating insects, Tipula | 24 Comments