Have you ever seen this beautiful fly when you walk in the park or other open places? Well, that is the Asarkina porcina fly, one of the most beautiful flies from the Syrphidae family. At first glance, this fly looks very similar to a bee or wasp. At first I was almost fooled, I thought it was a bee, it was very similar. After I got closer and observed it for a while, I realized that it was not a bee or wasp, but a fly.
What distinguishes this fly from wasps or bees that is easiest to recognize is that before this fly lands on a flower, it hovers for a while in the air. While wasps or bees, they land directly, not hovering in the air. In addition, the way they suck nectar is also different, namely this fly sucks nectar at a sharp speed. When about to suck nectar, this fly spends more time hovering in the air than perching on flowers.
If we look closely, we find many differences from this fly, especially its slender body and tapered abdomen. Its antennae are also very short, almost invisible. Its body is smooth and hairless. But if we look at the color combination, it is very similar, orange and black. The typical color of wasps and bees. In terms of color, this fly is lucky. Predators rarely hunt bees or wasps.
| Latin name | Asarkina porcina |
|---|---|
| Observation date | 10 Mar, 2025 |
| Camera used | realme 7 Pro |
| Photographers | @reachdreams |
| Location | Aceh, Indonesia |
| Link to original community |
|---|
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/264751717
| Latitude | Longitude | Map |
|---|---|---|
| 4.695135 | 96.7493993 | https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=4.695135&mlon=96.7493993 |
