Hover Fly

megaweb · 15th June 2003

Syrphid Flies aka Hover Flies
Also known as flower flies, drone flies
Insect Order: Diptera
Family: Syrphidae

Identification: Most hover flies are 3/8 - 4/4 inch long, yellow and black, with short antennae and large eyes. Although they resemble bees and wasps, they have only 2 wings. The larvae look sluglike and are tapered toward the head.

The larvae are voracious predators, feeding on aphids, thrips, and small caterpillars. Adults are not predatory, but feed on nectar and pollen. They can be attracted to the garden by certain flowers.

Life Cycle: Hover flies have complete metamorphosis. Eggs are laid near aphid infestations and hatch in 2-3 days. The larvae develop in 2-3 weeks and pupate in soil. Hover flies can have up to 6-7 generations per year.

A syrphid fly larva can consume up to 400 aphids during its lifetime.

Shutter speed: 1/160 sec
Aperture: 16

Marx · 15th June 2003

All very good DoF!

Plus bonus documentary, well done!

Zplus · 15th June 2003

Another nice series and good write up. Where did you shoot these?

I like the first and third ones.

erwinx · 15th June 2003

wahhhhhhh

the lighting in pic no.3 is very nice and has a 3-D effect (i.e. 'modelling')

megaweb · 16th June 2003

Thanks for the kindly comments

Quote:

Originally posted by Zplus
Where did you shoot these?

taken at the shelter next to Marsh Gardens

espn · 16th June 2003

As usual, you impress me with your shots. I like the 2nd shot. Very impressive. Nice sia.

StreetShooter · 16th June 2003

Oh, man!

Next thing you're gonna capture pictures of the scent trail as they fly, just like Nat Geog...

Garion · 16th June 2003

Awesome shots mega, the detail is amazing.

Shot wif your 100mm Macro rite? No.2 and No. 3 do it for me. (heck, all of them are great)

Darren · 16th June 2003

Just when you thought it was safe to post some pictures of dragonflies and damselflies, out comes Megaweb's fantasmagoric images ... man o man o man ...

These are the most fantastic shots of insects in flight that I have seen in ClubSNAP. Great stuff.

Those who take pics of insects already know how hard it is to take them when they are stationary ... as for these shots of them in motion ... *speechless*

lennon · 16th June 2003

WoW! Excellent series!

Can you let us know what food do you eat megaweb?

digi~ET · 16th June 2003

great shots^^ may i ask......how come when it is flying, 1/160 shutter can still made such a clear pic of the body???

megaweb · 17th June 2003

Thanks for the compliments again

I shot it with 100mm macro lens using MF and Manual settings of 1/160 & f16 with the help of my 550EX. I used the min. focusing distance (max. magnification) abt 20cm to move the lens to focus the fly. I agree it is not easy but it is a challenge to shoot.

Quote:

Originally posted by Garion
Shot wif your 100mm Macro rite?

Ya

Quote:

Originally posted by digi~ET
may i ask......how come when it is flying, 1/160 shutter can still made such a clear pic of the body???

becoz' it is hover fly

. It can hover/stay in the air like a dragonfly. So slow shutter speed is able to freeze the fly in the air.

digi~ET · 17th June 2003

icic........u must have spent a long time waiting for perfect moment and perfect shot?^^+

bja · 18th June 2003

wow cool technique man megaweb....
you never fail to amaze me....

rty · 19th June 2003

This is truly amazing! Taking photos under a hot blazing sun, of such a tiny insect, flying fast in an erratic way with no predictable pattern but yet Megaweb can produce the photos with such an amazing clarity.... I salute you, Megaweb!

zOOm · 21st June 2003

WOW! picture in motions or maybe motion pictures
whatever is it, it's another step up to insectography

incredible .....

>> A syrphid fly larva can consume up to 400 aphids during its
>> lifetime.
hmmm ... think that this fly larva is useful for me to eat those aphids on my plants now. where can I get some?

oh yes, those info on this fly are very useful too. not only he takes great shoots about the subject, he studies them too.
somehow, have a uneasy feeling what will happen if mega starts to do glamour photography

just kidding .....

miel · 28th August 2004

nice macro nice

Sgt. Pepper · 28th August 2004

Wow! nice shots Mega!
I almost missed this one, thanks to Miel for bringing this one up.

Coincidentally, I also have simillar shots taken this morning that I will going to post later.

sonix · 28th August 2004

Very swee... love the 2nd one

The return of king of macro

denniskee · 28th August 2004

amazing shots, how did you do it, did you use prefocus method? if yes, how do you know to prefocus at what distant?

oops, ask questions more than giving your rightly deserve prises. good, good, no best inflight shot series i have seen in cs forum.

15th June 2003	#1
megaweb Moderator Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: East Posts: 8,134	Hover Fly Syrphid Flies aka Hover Flies Also known as flower flies, drone flies Insect Order: Diptera Family: Syrphidae Identification: Most hover flies are 3/8 - 4/4 inch long, yellow and black, with short antennae and large eyes. Although they resemble bees and wasps, they have only 2 wings. The larvae look sluglike and are tapered toward the head. The larvae are voracious predators, feeding on aphids, thrips, and small caterpillars. Adults are not predatory, but feed on nectar and pollen. They can be attracted to the garden by certain flowers. Life Cycle: Hover flies have complete metamorphosis. Eggs are laid near aphid infestations and hatch in 2-3 days. The larvae develop in 2-3 weeks and pupate in soil. Hover flies can have up to 6-7 generations per year. A syrphid fly larva can consume up to 400 aphids during its lifetime. Shutter speed: 1/160 sec Aperture: 16 Shutter speed: 1/160 sec Aperture: 16 Shutter speed: 1/160 sec Aperture: 16 Shutter speed: 1/160 sec Aperture: 16 Shutter speed: 1/160 sec Aperture: 16 __________________ See my Photo Gallery at the Clubsnap \| Pbase

16th June 2003	#8
Garion Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: West side of S'pore Posts: 5,622	Awesome shots mega, the detail is amazing. Shot wif your 100mm Macro rite? No.2 and No. 3 do it for me. (heck, all of them are great) __________________ [ deviantart selections \| Photoblog ]

16th June 2003	#9
Darren ClubSNAP Admin Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: ClubSNAP HQ Posts: 7,605	Just when you thought it was safe to post some pictures of dragonflies and damselflies, out comes Megaweb's fantasmagoric images ... man o man o man ... These are the most fantastic shots of insects in flight that I have seen in ClubSNAP. Great stuff. Those who take pics of insects already know how hard it is to take them when they are stationary ... as for these shots of them in motion ... speechless __________________ Tweet?

16th June 2003	#11
digi~ET Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: SG Posts: 747	great shots^^ may i ask......how come when it is flying, 1/160 shutter can still made such a clear pic of the body??? __________________ DSLR newbie: 400D + Tamron 18-200mm + 50mm F1.8 (i simply love it!) Canon G2

17th June 2003	#13
digi~ET Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: SG Posts: 747	icic........u must have spent a long time waiting for perfect moment and perfect shot?^^+ __________________ DSLR newbie: 400D + Tamron 18-200mm + 50mm F1.8 (i simply love it!) Canon G2

15th June 2003	#2
Marx Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: East Posts: 495	All very good DoF! Plus bonus documentary, well done!

15th June 2003	#3
Zplus Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Some equitorial, tropical isla Posts: 2,384	Another nice series and good write up. Where did you shoot these? I like the first and third ones.

15th June 2003	#4
erwinx Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 2,492	wahhhhhhh the lighting in pic no.3 is very nice and has a 3-D effect (i.e. 'modelling')

16th June 2003	#6
espn Deregistered Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Planet Nikon Posts: 22,045	As usual, you impress me with your shots. I like the 2nd shot. Very impressive. Nice sia.

16th June 2003	#7
StreetShooter Moderator Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Katong Posts: 4,702	Oh, man! Next thing you're gonna capture pictures of the scent trail as they fly, just like Nat Geog...

16th June 2003	#10
lennon Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 393	WoW! Excellent series! Can you let us know what food do you eat megaweb?

18th June 2003	#14
bja Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Singapore! Posts: 522	wow cool technique man megaweb.... you never fail to amaze me....

19th June 2003	#15
rty Moderator Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Here and Now Posts: 1,106	This is truly amazing! Taking photos under a hot blazing sun, of such a tiny insect, flying fast in an erratic way with no predictable pattern but yet Megaweb can produce the photos with such an amazing clarity.... I salute you, Megaweb!

21st June 2003	#16
zOOm Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Singapore Posts: 243	WOW! picture in motions or maybe motion pictures whatever is it, it's another step up to insectography incredible ..... >> A syrphid fly larva can consume up to 400 aphids during its >> lifetime. hmmm ... think that this fly larva is useful for me to eat those aphids on my plants now. where can I get some? oh yes, those info on this fly are very useful too. not only he takes great shoots about the subject, he studies them too. somehow, have a uneasy feeling what will happen if mega starts to do glamour photography just kidding ..... Last edited by zOOm; 21st June 2003 at 12:26 AM.

28th August 2004	#17
miel Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 110	nice macro nice

28th August 2004	#18
Sgt. Pepper Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 1,149	Wow! nice shots Mega! I almost missed this one, thanks to Miel for bringing this one up. Coincidentally, I also have simillar shots taken this morning that I will going to post later.

28th August 2004	#19
sonix Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Sengkang Posts: 1,315	Very swee... love the 2nd one The return of king of macro __________________ My humble gallery

28th August 2004	#20
denniskee Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: bukit batok Posts: 4,925	amazing shots, how did you do it, did you use prefocus method? if yes, how do you know to prefocus at what distant? oops, ask questions more than giving your rightly deserve prises. good, good, no best inflight shot series i have seen in cs forum. __________________ photography makes one sees things from all angles.