---

I took the following pictures last Saturday. I've been told that the fly is a female Tolmerus atricapillus. I assumed that she was laying eggs but I've been told that this is unlikely as they normally lay eggs in rotting wood etc. If she isn't laying eggs what is she doing?







Thanks

Mike

---

This behaviour is typical for most of the Asilinae in the Northern Hemisphere. They lay their eggs into flowers, on or in vegetation. After few days, the primary larvae crawl into the soil. Spieces of some few subfamilies (like the Laphriinae) lay their eggs on wood (not rotting), because their larvae are parasites of beetle larvae in wood (longhorn and jewel beetles). Their is an overview on http://www.geller...nera11.htm. Yours - Dysmachus

---

Beautiful pictures!