#Meromacrus acutus

[celestialmacros]

Obviously plotting something

Carolinian Elegant (Meromacrus acutus)

July 19, 2024

Southeastern Pennsylvania

[toothedgoose]

Meromacrus acutus (Diptera: Syrphidae)

Carolinian elegant

5 of July 2023 — Maryland, USA

This little fellow confused my mother into thinking it was a wasp! A job well done, as these hoverflies are indeed Batesian mimics of wasps.

Batesian mimics resemble an organism in such a way that it will protect them from predators, without being poisonous or venomous themselves. In this case, resembling a wasp will make birds assume it��s venomous and think twice before eating it.

They differ from Müllerian mimics, on the other hand, which are organisms that resemble each other but are all poisonous or venomous. An example would be the bright coloration of various venomous wasps and venomous bees, which makes them look like each other and therefore protects all of those that have a similar pattern.

Like other syrphids, this fly is a wonderful pollinator and feeds on the nectar of flowers as an adult. The larvae are filter-feeders.

I can’t get over the beauty of this friend. Flies are absolutely gorgeous.

[onenicebugperday]

@possumreqesting​ submitted: Hey boss, this thing was flying around me a few days ago, wanted it ided but didnt follow you on this account, he kept moving around so this is the only good pic i got. Its about the size of my thumb nail, give or take.

(In South TX)

A man! Pretending to be a wasp. But he’s a hover fly, specifically a male Carolinian elegant, Meromacrus acutus. Females would have eyes that don’t touch in the middle of the top of the head :)

[bugkeeping]

Carolinian Elegant 

Meromacrus acutus

[onenicebugperday]

@aevarswall​ submitted: Good day! Could you identify this bee(?) for me? It’s not one I’m familiar with. Found around Knoxville, TN earlier this Summer.

Hello! It’s not a bee! It’s a fly trying to look like a bee and doing a great job of it. Specifically it’s a Carolinian elegant, Meromacrus acutus :)

[celestialmacros]

Cool flies

Top left: Banded Bee Fly (Villa sp.)

Top right: Cobalt Hover Fly (Pelecinobaccha costata)

Center: Thick-headed fly (Physocephala sagittaria)

Bottom left: Carolinian Elegant (Meromacrus acutus)

Bottom right: Oestrophasia signifera, a type of tachinid fly

Southeastern Pennsylvania

[bugkeeping]

Carolinian Elegant Meromacrus acutus

just a fly pretending to be a wasp