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Fever fly (Bibionidae)


Fever fly (Bibionidae)
Photo Information
Copyright: marie christine guegan (mariki) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 989 W: 65 N: 2013] (8401)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-12-26
Categories: Insects
Exposure: f/7.1, 1/350 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Diptera (except syrphidae) [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2008-01-06 7:51
Viewed: 881
Points: 36
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note [French]
Dilophus fibrilis Female

Fever flies are smaller versions of the St. Marks fly with more transparent wings and have a ring of spines around the bottom of the front leg tibia.

As Bibio marci the females, although having a bigger body size (about 9mm), have smaller heads and eyes than the males (about 7mm).

It seems that this species appear also in the early spring.

Note over St. Mark's flies Bibio marci :

Despite their name St. Mark's flies are mosquitoes and not flies. The females usually have small eyes, but the males have very big eyes indeed and that is why they are called flies.

These flies are thought to play an important role in pollinating fruit trees and other plants. The larvae feed on the roots of grasses and they are occasionally cereal pests as well as on decaying organic matter and are frequent in compost heaps.

Males are easily distinguished as they have huge, bulbous eyes, giving them a large head in comparison with the female.

I found this female on a white painted wall near the beach. I have seen a lot of females but no male. The day was warmer (around 8 degrees C) after a one-week period of cold weather. But it seems that these mosquitoes appear in spring. Is it a sign of climat change? I do not know... It was the same day I could find the striped ladybird.
haraprasan, ramthakur, jcoowanitwong, fiyo, claudine has marked this note useful
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ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To pgmoni: thank youmariki 5 01-07 12:57
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello Marie
This is a fine shot with superb sharp details...I like the way the light has caught his wing showing the lovely colours.
All the Best
Paul

Hi Marie,
A strange looking fly. Very well captured. Excellent details. Good informative notes. Thanks a lot for sharing.

Hi Marie,

I like the light refractions in the wings. Very subtle shot and very well done. You are really nailing that fine detail.

Mike

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1002 W: 6 N: 2700] (10017)
  • [2008-01-06 13:01]

In the wings there are all the colours of the raimbow,a very good work,salut.Luciano

Tiens, c'est juste l'inverse de moi ca, je cherche des femelles et ne trouve que des mâles !!!!
Blague dans le coins, c'est une très bonne macro Mariki, excellent focus et très beaux reflets métalliques dans les ailes,
bravo,
Amicalement,
Pat

Very interesting mosquito this, Marie. Our mosquitos in India look quite different and they are very dangerous.
A fairly good image though the focus at the tail-end is a bit diffused.
TFS and bye.
Ram

Nice picture of a difficult subject : shiny black and transparent wings do not make for easy pictures!
However, I wonder if this is truly B. marci. The spines on the front legs are reminiscent of Dilophus sp... That could also account for the strange observation date.
Philippe

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2611 W: 133 N: 7494] (23373)
  • [2008-01-07 5:12]

Bibio marci in December!
This is amazing, Mariki. These Bibiid mosquitoes usually emerge during the spring, from March onwards (in Sweden at the end of April). It could be a sign of global warming or there might be a pocket of a warm microclimate...who knows!
Nice macro with the sharpness where it matters.
Thanks for sharing this one,
Best wishes, Ivan

Hi Marie,
Very nice close up of this mosquito, Sharp and well seen image. Lovely presentation. TFS,
JC

Bonjour marie,
good close up with excellent sharpness, natural colour and details in this shot!
thanks for the informative and useful notes
merci
Tony

  • Great 
  • fiyo Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 924 W: 5 N: 2259] (8370)
  • [2008-01-07 14:45]

Hello Marie,
this is a beautiful picture with very good POV and composition.TFS

Bonjour Marie-Christine,
C'est une belle macro de ce moustique, J'aime bien les couleurs sur ses ailes. Une plus petite ouverture aurait permis d'obtenir le focus parfait sur tout l'insecte mais ce n'est qu'un détail. Les notes sont très intéressantes. Merci,
Claudine

  • Great 
  • EOSF1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1330 W: 107 N: 4804] (21334)
  • [2008-01-08 4:31]

C'est incroyable le nombre d'espèces d'insectes que tu photographies, bravo Marie pour la variété de tes images. Excellents détails, merci !

Mario

Hi Mariki, splendid fly with amazing details, lovely colored reflections on wings, very well done, ciao Silvio

Excelente acercamiento y con un buen fondo. Quizá un exceso de luz pero buen trabajo igualmente.
Saludos.

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2008-01-08 20:47]

Hello Marie

An interesting capture of this fever fly.
Very good detail.
The POV and DOF are good.
TFS

Rob

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1714 W: 24 N: 4988] (16346)
  • [2008-01-09 22:50]

Hi Marie,

I will be back.

Very difficult macro, my friend Mariki!And you've done it perfect justice!
Goldy

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