next message in archive
next message in thread
previous message in archive
previous message in thread
Index of Subjects
0%; background-color: rgb(2 --001a113ed17e657443054e1b7138 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Crab spiders as in yellow-orb spiders? --> https://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/Argiope_aurantia <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argiope_aurantia> Or a species from the Family Thomisidae --> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomisidae -Chris Kennedy in Dartmouth On Wed, Apr 26, 2017 at 7:06 PM, Angus MacLean <Cold_Mac@hotmail.com> wrote: > Chris' link does answer some of the questions re B. major. In the Wiki > article it also mentions they are great pollinators but I do not agree > completely with that assumption. This particular species has one of the > longest proboscis (tongue), (size for size) in the avian world. This allows > it to slurp nectar without actually landing on the flower (e.g. coltsfoot > in the spring). This would seem to be a defense mechanism against crab > spiders (also yellow) which can be very common in the spring and are a > deadly predator. > > Before they flick their egg towards the mouth of the bee nest, they > collect dust or sand at the tip of their abdomen (where their ovipositor > is) and then coat the egg which adds weight to it and probably tends to > also camouflage the egg. > > Researchers claim that when the egg does not land far enough into the > nest, the larva will attach itself to the bee and get a free ride to the > food! Despite such predation, Andrena bees and bee flies have existed > together for millennia. > > Angus > > > ------------------------------ > *From:* naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca <naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca> on > behalf of chris kennedy <cjkennedy66@gmail.com> > *Sent:* April 25, 2017 10:30 AM > *To:* naturens@chebucto.ns.ca > *Subject:* Re: [NatureNS] Re: Mayflowers open/Insect > > They parasitize the bees. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombylius_major > <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombylius_major> > Bombylius major - Wikipedia > <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombylius_major> > en.wikipedia.org > The Large Bee-fly, Bombylius major, is a bee mimic. The eggs are flicked > by the adult female toward the entrance of the underground nests of > solitary bees and wasps. > > > On Tue, Apr 25, 2017 at 9:00 AM, Randy Lauff <randy.lauff@gmail.com> > wrote: > >> What happens when the eggs hatch, Angus? Do the maggots parasitize the >> bees, or are they nest parasites...something else? >> >> Randy >> >> _________________________________ >> RF Lauff >> Way in the boonies of >> Antigonish County, NS. >> >> On 24 April 2017 at 20:11, Angus MacLean <Cold_Mac@hotmail.com> wrote: >> >>> As Phil states, all the marks suggest a Bee Fly, B. major. Usually out >>> very early. At this time of year it lays its eggs at the entrance to nests >>> of Andrena bees. >>> >>> Angus >>> >>> >>> ------------------------------ >>> *From:* naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca <naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca> >>> on behalf of James Hirtle <jrhbirder@hotmail.com> >>> *Sent:* April 24, 2017 5:03 PM >>> *To:* Naturens Naturens >>> *Subject:* [NatureNS] Mayflowers open/Insect >>> >>> >>> Hi all: >>> >>> >>> I photographed some mayflowers fully open today at New Cumberland. Had >>> my first wood tick crawling on my ear also. It's in two pieces now. >>> >>> >>> I had an interesting insect that was feeding at the mayflowers. It >>> looks like a bee, but when feeding more like a hummingbird moth. It is >>> tinier though. The purtubance that goes into the flower is long and >>> pointy. I have a good picture of this. I believe it might be a sweat bee, >>> but if anyone would like to see the photo and can give me a positive ID it >>> would be appreciated. >>> >>> >>> James R. Hirtle >>> >>> LaHave >>> >> >> > --001a113ed17e657443054e1b7138 Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <div dir=3D"ltr">Crab spiders as in yellow-orb spiders? --><a href=3D"ht= tps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argiope_aurantia" target=3D"_blank"><font color= =3D"red"><b>MailScanner has detected a possible fraud attempt from "en.wiki= pedia.org" claiming to be</b></font> =C2=A0https://en.wikipedia.org/<wbr>wi= ki/Argiope_aurantia</a><div><br></div><div>Or a species from the Family Tho= misidae -->=C2=A0<a href=3D"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomisidae">ht= tps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomisidae</a></div><div><br></div><div><br></d= iv><div>-Chris Kennedy in Dartmouth</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div= ><br></div><div class=3D"gmail_extra"><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote">On Wed= , Apr 26, 2017 at 7:06 PM, Angus MacLean <span dir=3D"ltr"><<a href=3D"m= ailto:Cold_Mac@hotmail.com" target=3D"_blank">Cold_Mac@hotmail.com</a>><= /span> wrote:<br><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8= ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"> <div dir=3D"ltr"> <div id=3D"m_-8635888234620121164m_1084627896460473076divtagdefaultwrapper"= style=3D"font-size:12pt;color:#000000;font-family:Calibri,Arial,Helvetica,= sans-serif" dir=3D"ltr"> <p>Chris' link does answer some of the questions re B. major. In the Wi= ki article it also mentions they are great pollinators but I do not agree c= ompletely with that assumption. This particular species has one of the long= est proboscis (tongue), (size for size) in the avian world. This allows it to slurp nectar without actually landin= g on the flower (e.g. coltsfoot in the spring). This would seem to be a def= ense mechanism against crab spiders (also yellow) which can be very common = in the spring and are a deadly predator.</p> <p>Before they flick their egg towards the mouth of the bee nest, they coll= ect dust or sand at the tip of their abdomen (where their ovipositor is) an= d then coat the egg which adds weight to it and probably tends to also camo= uflage the egg. <br> </p> <p>Researchers claim that when the egg does not land far enough into the ne= st, the larva will attach itself to the bee and get a free ride to the food= ! Despite such predation, Andrena bees and bee flies have existed to