A FEW INTERESTING FLIES
Every summer in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, I enjoy seeing three kinds of small, harmless flies- large bee flies, long-legged flies and hover flies. They are intriguing, little critters, but one has to know when and where to look for them. These flies have a few traits in common. As adults, they all have swept-back wings to fly in search of food and mates. Their larvae are predators on other types of invertebrates. And adult flies are attractive. Every April, I see several cute, little bee flies standing camouflaged on soil paths in local woodlands. They quickly fly up at my approach and hover in the air, close by. They are covered with dull-brown "fur" and each one has a straight beak that sticks out in front and can not be retracted. They look a bit like tiny, furry hummingbirds. Adult bee flies ingest flower nectar and pollen from early-bloo...