At first I thought it was a bee because its body color was golden yellow with distinctive black lines. But after I got closer and looked at it in more detail, especially the way it flies which is more hovering and not as aggressive as a bee, I started to suspect that this was a type of fly.
I also took several photos using a macro lens to see the details of his body more clearly. After looking for references, I found that this insect was Mesembrius bengalensis, a type of flower fly from the Syrphidae family. These flies are often mistaken for bees because of their similar color patterns, a form of mimicry to protect themselves from predators.
Interestingly, when I observed it, this fly landed more often on leaves than on flowers. However, when he finally found a small yellow flower around the bush, he immediately approached it and started sucking the nectar. It made me think, maybe this is also an important role in the ecosystem, helping pollination like real bees.
NOTE: I first wrote the article above in Indonesian, which is my own language, then I translated it using English with the help of Goggle.
| Latin Name | Observation date | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Mesembrius bengalensis | 20 05 2024 | North Acèh Regency, Acèh, Indonesia |
| Camera used | Smartphone |
|---|---|
| Lens | Macro |
| F-stop | - |
| Iso speed | ISO |
| Focal length | MM |
| Photography | Mesembrius bengalensis |
| Location | Aceh Indonesia |
| Photographer | @bananaklatbarat |
| Link to original | community | |
|---|---|---|
| Link | https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/266799722 | |
| Latitude Longitude | Map | |
| - | - | |
| =4.9786331 | =97.2221421 | https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=4.9786331&mlon=97.2221421#map=12/4.9786/97.2221 |