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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » Calyptratae » Oestroidea » Tachinidae » Tachininae » Tachinini » Spiny Tachina Fly (Paradejeania) » Spiny Tachina Fly (Paradejeania rutilioides)
Photo#83884
Flower/Bee Fly at Vetter Mountain, CA - Paradejeania rutilioides
Copyright © 2006 Charles White

Flower/Bee Fly at Vetter Mountain, CA - Paradejeania rutilioides
Vetter Mountain, San Gabriel Mountains, Los Angeles Country County, California, USA
October 15, 2006
Size: Two thumbnails
This fly was on several yellow flowers at Vetter summit at 5900 ft elevation, acting very much like a bee. These guys sometimes fly into my fire lookout tower and park on the glass. They are slow to react and I can catch them in a cup to shoo them out the door. Don't know if the spikes are soft or hard because I don't want to find out. I name it, "Vetter Spiny Fly" if not claimed. ;)
Contributed by Charles on 19 October, 2006 - 2:42pm
Last updated 20 October, 2006 - 1:41am

P. rutiliodes -
I second Stephen's remark. Your fly is taking nectar from Rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus nauseosus). I've observed dozens of them in the last few weeks at Eaton Canyon, Pasadena, feeding on nectar from Scale Broom (Lepidospartum squamatum), another late blooming member of the Asteraceae.
… Hartmut Wisch, 19 October, 2006 - 10:42pm

Reminds me more of a Tachnid fly,
something like Paradejeania rutilioides.
… Stephen Luk, 19 October, 2006 - 2:55pm

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