Pond Life

I'm glad that I often can't remember the names of insects in English let alone the Latin and I do always check that my memory and the information is correct before I write. In this case I couldn't remember a single thing about this species, of which there are hundreds courting on the pond. As is often the case, I've learnt a little more for my trouble in researching them.

They are incredibly fascinating to watch. Males dance at high speed around a female, flapping their wings to draw attention. Every so often they all fly in a swarm around the pond, returning en mass to their female within seconds. To give you an idea of the size, this little guy is perching on duckweed. About 6mm in length.

I couldn't remember what they are but it didn't take long to get a positive ID. As it happens, until last year, they only had a Latin name, Poecilobothrus nobilitatus. The Guardian, in conjunction with Natural England, ran a competition, 'Name A Species', and last year this little fly was amongst the 10 diverse critters they were trying to find popular names for. The winner came up with the name Semaphore Fly.

The new popular name is very appropriate as the males, as in my photo, have white tips to their wings and use them to signal incessantly to their mates. The speed in which they move is incredible but homing in on one spot, sooner or later one had to come into focus. How I got this I don't know! It has been cropped a little but having spent an hour and a half, procrastinating on my belly at the edge of the pond and over 100 shots later this is the result.


I'm happy but the information I should have written for a website hasn't been done. :) Much better out in the sunshine than on a PC!