Thread subject: Diptera.info :: flies on oak tree sap
Posted by elck on 30-07-2005 21:55
#1
On an oak tree I saw a lot of wasps in a frenzy over the trees' sap.
On closer observation I also saw these flies.
In extreem dark circumstances so I had to spike the pictures considerably.
Any ideas?
Edited by elck on 31-07-2005 00:39
Posted by Paul Beuk on 31-07-2005 00:14
#2
They are Drosophilidae, belonging to the
Drosophila genera complex. I will try to find out which one it is.
Posted by elck on 31-07-2005 00:40
#3
thanks, is it known behaviour?
Posted by Paul Beuk on 31-07-2005 10:32
#4
Numerous species may come to fermenting substances of any kind. Several seem to prefer fermenting tree sap, among others the species of the (former sub-)genus
Scaptodrosophila, including the species
S. deflexa and
S. rufifrons. Moreover, some other (morphologically different) genera can be found near sapruns as well, for example
Amiota,
Leucophenga and
Stegana.
Posted by elck on 31-07-2005 12:28
#5
Apart from the wasps
vespula vulgaris I also observed Atalanta butterflies
vanessa atalanta .
It's always a good place to see insects from near by.
Thanks for the reply.
Edited by elck on 31-07-2005 12:29