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Photography with cameras
Nikon D3x, Nikon D300, Canon 50D
Image editing with Photoshop |
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| | | | Taurus fly | The Taurus fly (Cyrtus gibbus) belongs to the order (Diptera), the suborder Brachycera , intraorder Asilomorpha, Nemestrinoidea and to the family Acroceridae. It belongs to the genus Cyrtus.
The Taurus fly can be found throughout southern Europe, but is rare. It is medium-sized, compact and almost spherical in shape. It is mostly yellow in colour and has black spots and ligatures. It is covered in fine hairs.
The head is spherical and black and the antennae are very small and thin. The third segment of the antenna is very short and with apically thin hair. The proboscis is strikingly large, yellow in colour and appears slightly darker at the end. In the resting position it lies on the belly amongst the legs. The proboscis is stretched out before eating takes place. The chest (thorax) is very rounded, yellow on the sides has a big, black shiny patch on the upper side. This patch is joined to broad longitudinal stripe which extends to the head. At the thorax’s sides there are large scales under which the halteres are covered. The abdomen is yellow and with black spots on the top as also with three black bandages , which to the rear end are wedge-shaped and extended. The legs are long , thin and from reddish-yellow to yellow in colour.
The Taurus fly feeds on the nectar of the various plant species whose blossoms she visits. The female lays her eggs on branches of trees or on blades of grass. The number of eggs (located singly or in or in small clusters) can amount to more than 1000.
The larvae are very small when they hatch. At the end of their abdomen is an apparature through which they can move like loopers (inchworms). The larvae feed parasitically on spiders or on their young. They jump on approaching spiders and penetrate (through the skin at one of the spider’s joints) into the prey’s body. They remain here and feed slowly on the spider’s insides until the end of their larval stage. The larvae overwinter inside the remains of the spider. In spring they pupate in the soil. The pupae have a curved shape. | | |
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| | Description of images / photos
Photography with Cameras
Nikon D3x, Nikon D300, Canon 50D
Image editing with Photoshop | | 1. | Taurus fly - Cyrtus gibbus |
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