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BugGuide Gathering
Smoky Mountains
University of Tennessee Biological Field Station
August 8-10, 2008
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Photos from the last gathering (Minnesota 2007)

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Photo#121195
Calyptratae Perhaps? - Mating or Eating?

Calyptratae Perhaps? - Mating or Eating?
47.630224N 52.687133W (WGS84), Logy Bay, Northeast Avalon, Newfoundland/Labrador, Canada
June 24, 2007
Size: Estimated 7mm
When I first saw this fly, I thought it was mating. I guess that's still my first guess but I'm not really confident about it now. I wonder if it could have been eating something. . By just looking without the camera, I couldn't be certain either. After I took several photos, the fly suddenly flew away. It happened so quickly that it seemed like only one fly took off but I guess there might have been two. I do know that no fly or food of any kind was left behind. It was around supper time and the temperature was 16⁰C. The fly was on a stone wall in our back yard. I'm guessing that it may be Calyptratae but I don't really know.

Images of this individual: tag all
Calyptratae Perhaps? - Mating or Eating? Calyptratae Perhaps? - Mating or Eating? Calyptratae Perhaps? - Mating or Eating? Calyptratae Perhaps? - Mating or Eating?

Dining, not dating
Here's a mating pair:

I think you have a tiger fly, but wait until an expert weighs in. Nice series of shots!

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