I am not really much of a birder, though pretty much everyone on the trail assumes that I am because I carry a full size camera with a big telephoto lens. While I will take the occasional bird shot, I much prefer the insects, arachnids, amphibians and reptiles to be found in and along the marshes of the Indiana Dunes.
As noted in another post, I think flies make great photographic subjects. They are quite fascinating when seen up close.The Crane Fly is a member of the fly family. Although it may appear scarier than the more common variety of fly, it is completely harmless. They cannot even bite as they have no mouth parts. Crane flys only live for a few days in their adult form, and they do not need to eat during this time.Not surprisingly, Butterflys are common in the wetlands areas. What is less common is to find three of them all hanging out together. In this case they appeared to be drinking at the muddy edge of the marsh. Two different species of Swallowtail.At first glance Weevils look like Beetles. But get close enough and you can see the long snout dominating the face which is characteristic of Weevil’s.Frogs, usually you hear them diving into the water as you approach, but you never see them. Occasionally one will sit nice and still long enough to get a good shot or two.I thought this was an interesting combination when I noticed them. Look just behind the frog and you will see a nice size Wolf spider. The two of them were just hanging out like a couple of buddies, though I am pretty sure that frogs are happy to eat a nice meaty spider like this one. Not the first time I have seen predator and prey sitting right next to one another peacefully. Another example of predator and prey coexisting, at least for the moment. I was observing the Daddy Longlegs when I saw the fly land right in front of it. I thought for sure I would have a chance to watch the arachnid attempt to snag a lunch on the fly, so to speak. But nope, they both sat there for a minute while I took some pics then the fly buzzed off.I love how snapping turtles look like scary prehistoric creatures. This time of year you can often find turtles on the trails and in the fields as they search for spots to lay their eggs or just relocate to another body of water. This is one of the smaller ones I have seen in the park, the shell was probably about 12″ long.Looks like it is time to go…
Flies are one of natures most under-appreciated pollenators. Bee’s and Butterfly’s get all the glory, but Flies do much of the work. Plus they are really very photogenic when you get up close and personal as I like to do. Some fun facts about flys…
There are over 150,000 species of flies.
Flies are second only to Bee’s when it comes to pollenating, and they totally smoke Butterflies in this role.
Flies are among the first pollenators to emerge in the early spring. They are hard at work long before the majority of Bee’s and Butterflies have even gotten out of bed for the season.
Flies play a crucial role in breaking down animal waste into nutrients.
Sure Flies carry and transmit diseases, but disease is part of a healthy ecosystem.
Maggot Debridement Therapy. Certain maggots (fly larvae) are used to debride dead flesh associated with injuries in people. Removal of the dead flesh promotes faster healing, and the maggot’s secretions have antibiotic properties.
Flies are simply prettier than Bee’s and Butterflies, at least in my opinion.
Here we see a typical fly, hard at work pollenating the first wildflowers of the season in early April.This one is tough to see against the muddy background as it is brown and light tan itself. But just left of center is one of the more unusual flies, the Bee-Fly which mimic’s Bee’s to scare off predators. You may have to click on the image and view it full size to make out the fly.Crane Flies are pretty big. They don’t bite however, in fact they lack mouth parts. Most species live about 10 days and do not eat in this time.Flies are simply fascinating in their appearance. But you have to get a real close view to really appreciate them.Mosquitos are a species of Fly as it turns out. Although widely regarded as blood sucking pests, there are some varieties that subsist on nectar, and thus act as pollenators.Click on this image to view it full size. If you look closely just behind the Butterfly, you will spot a Hoverfly.Here we have a more close-up view of the back side of a Hoverfly. This species is really attractive and typically sports vibrant colors.
Yep, Flies really are the Rockstars of the pollenating insect realm.
