The Tiny Tireless Suitor by durleybeachbum

Photography • Insects • posted on Jun 30, 2016

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Description

Poecilobothrus nobilitatus I was excited to see these tiny (7 mm) flies on the lily pads in my pond today. This is an attractive fly with a lime green thorax. The male has conspicuous white wing tips and is easy to identify. The hairs on top of the thorax are in two neat rows. It lives in damp places with lush vegetation and is often seen resting on mud or on the water surface. May to August. A mating dance precedes copulation. The male performs a courtship display where the conspicuously marked wings are raised and lowered, a bit like an airport marshal guiding a plane to a parking spot with a pair of batons. Wingspan is directly related to body size, so the better (or bigger) the display, the healthier the male. See a close up in my previous photo.

Comments (8)

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blinkings

3:57PM | Thu, 30 June 2016

Good luck to them both!

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wysiwig

5:04PM | Thu, 30 June 2016

What a brilliant find! Well now we know why this young Lothario didn't notice the lady with the camera. He had his eye on another lady. She doesn't seem too welcoming.

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