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unbelievable-ecological-articles · 1 year

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DAFFODILS, MARCH

Located just next to the science buildings, crammed into the corner of a grassy lawn beside a road, is a patch of wild daffodils (Narcissus pseudonarcissus):

These are a common sight in many gardens and wild parts of the UK during the springtime, signally the rainy weather the plants love but we as Brits hate, before the short but sweet summertime arrives. The flowers distinctive trumpet shape and vivid yellow colour brighten up many a roadside or grassy bank. Daffodils have a large namer of varieties and hybrids, but the only native British daffodil is the wild daffodil (or sometimes called the Lent lily). Although they can grow close to buildings and roads, they also thrive in damp, open woods, coppice, heathland, commons, old pastures and in mildly acid soils, spreading across much of north England and east Wales. In fact, they are particularly naturalised (meaning established and living wild in a region where it is not indigenous) here in East Anglia, even though they are relatively scare in the rest of east England.

These daffodils, in the words of the Wild Flower Guide, grow in ‘either solitary or arranged in few-flowered umbels’, which means a flower that grows in a cluster in which stalks of nearly equal length spring from a common centre. Below is a photo that shows just that:

As I mentioned before, their recognisable petal-arrangement creates a sort of trumpet shape, which can be seen here:

However, their bright cheery colour might be deceiving, as, like all species in the Narcissus genus, wild daffodils contain a poison called lycorine. This is found mostly in the bulb of the plant, but also in it’s leaves. Obviously, this makes them inedible for us, as well as other species such as dogs, cats, deer and horses. However, one create known as the narcissus grub is the major predator on daffodil bulbs. These grubs will eat through the bulb, then winter as a larva inside the bulb before emerging as the soil warms. Later, once it has gone through the pupate stage, it will leave the soil as a narcissus fly, who one day will lay its eggs around the daffodil, and the cycle repeats. Another species that gain nutrients from eating daffodils its the nemotode, a microscopic eel-like roundworm that feeds on the roots of the plant.

To practise using my guide, I decided to try and find the daffodil, and eventually found the right page:

A few weeks later and further down the campus, below the lake and along the River Yare, I found another species of Narcissus, the bunch-flowered daffodil (Narcissus tazetta)! This rarer species are commonly grown indoors as an ornamental plant, and named the Chinese Sacred Lily. See my photos (with River sneaking around in the background) below:

Although this species of daffodil is widespread in many parts of the world, it isn’t at all in the UK, which makes this a non-native species. However, it doesn’t appear to be an invasive species, so I’ll leave the little guy be.

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onenicebugperday · 3 years

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@sonofsimon submitted: I thought this was a bee, but it's a fuzzy fly. INat says it's a Narcissus Bulb Fly. I'm in Michigan.

Impressive mimicry! iNat is right, it’s a Narcissus bulb fly, which is a type of hover fly :)

#insects #bugs #submission #fly #diptera #hoverfly #hover fly #narcissus bulb fly

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jonnysinsectcatalogue · 2 years

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Narcissus Bulb Fly - Merodon equestris

Happy 2022 to everyone! Let’s revisit another old friend on this blog as we begin a new year. Last week I brought back Bumblebees for another look and to showcase some of their lesser known habits when it comes to resting and flower preferences. Here we see an insect of a different order with a similar appearance and similar behavior to our Bee friends. Quite handy, as these similarities allow this Hoverfly to avoid predation from those that would mistaken it for a Bee. Of course, you can tell the difference by looking at the eyes (Fly-like, close to each other designates these individuals as male) and the two wings in a pair. The mimic is quite convincing and such a convincing act allow this Fly to approach flowers and feast on delicious nectar as they dart between them. Their hairy coat and legs become coated in pollen depending on what they can dive into! Given this male’s slow movement in the photos alongside its hesitancy to fly away (instead just strolling), it was likely having a rest in the sun. Probably a good idea to rest, but I can’t imagine it would be for too long.

While male Bulb Flies, they can rarely afford to let their guards down as their job now is to control a section of territory in their habit. They will drive away intruders to attempt to enter their zone, although lacking stingers, claws and sharp mouthparts, I can’t imagine them being too aggressive in the traditional sense. They’re probably just very persistent with battering away intruders, and the Bee disguise may be useful. In the brief window of time that they’re active, males eventually find females in their territory and court them. The females then place eggs at the base of a suitable plant, usually before the end of July. The hatching maggot tunnels into the base of the plant and makes a home until pupation next spring in the plant’s bulb (hence the name ‘Bulb Fly’. It’s certainly not due their plump physique. They overwinter in plant bulbs if of suitable size). While the adult Flies are adequate pollinators given their preference to take nectar from flowers, the larvae can be very destructive to the young bulbs of many plants such as lilies, snowdrops and daffodils (hence Narcissus). If you’re a bulb gardener - especially daffodils - keep an eye for this Bee-mimic as it has potential to be an unwanted pest, despite its best intentions during adulthood.

Pictures were taken on May 22, 2021 with a Google Pixel 4.

#jonny’s insect catalogue #insect #fly #narcissus bulb fly #hoverfly #diptera #may2021 #2021 #toronto #ontario insect #entomology #nature #invertebrates #arthropods

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wandering-in-the-mist · 3 years

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It’s fascinating how many insects we get here that Aren’t Quite Bees

#Photography #Insects #Flowers #Wildlife #Cottagecore #Nanaimo #Lilac #California Darner #Greater Bee Fly #Narcissus Bulb Fly #Nick's Pics #DSLR #NikonD5500 #AF-P DX NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED VR #05-09-21 #Scheduled

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celestialmacros · 7 years

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A fantastic bee-mimic fly

Narcissus bulb fly (Merodon equestris)

April 29, 2017

Smithsonian National Zoo, Washington, DC

#bee #fly #photographers on tumblr #bee mimic #bees #flies #narcissus bulb fly #merodon equestris #narcissus fly #bulb fly #yes I went to the zoo and looked for bugs

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dendroica · 7 years

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Narcissus Bulb Fly, Merodon equestris (by me)

An introduced species, probably via daffodil bulbs.

#Narcissus Bulb Fly #Merodon equestris #Merodon #Merodontini #Eristalinae #Syrphidae #Aschiza #Diptera #Insecta #Hexapoda #Arthropoda #fly #insects #spring #Highland Park #Middlesex County #New Jersey #mine

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unkn0wnvariable · 2 years

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Bumble Mimic by Oliver Andrews Via Flickr: Another narcissus bulb fly, this time in a different colour variation mimicking a different species of bumblebee.

#canon #canonuk #flies #fly #garden #hoverflies #hoverfly #insect #insects #invertebrate #invertebrates #merodon equestris #minibeast #minibeasts #narcissus bulb fly #nature #outdoors #wildlife #flickr

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jabbers-wild-world · 4 years

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Meet the Sparrowmen

;; Alright, guys and gals and nonbinary pals! If you’re at all interested in D.isney Fairies stuff, and you want to know about the OCs I’ve made for the fandom, then strap yourselves in because now we’re going to talk about all my boys!

Lark

Lark is an animal talent, and still fairly new to life in Pixie Hollow, and in general! He’s energetic, somewhat reckless, not always the brightest firefly in the field, but he means well and generally is a sweetheart, but.. he does also occasionally have a little bit of a temper, and if he notices it, he will call others out on their bullshit.

He is actually unable to fly, because on his first day after being born, he got a little too excited about his talent, and proceeded to run right off the edge and tear his left wing. So now if he needs to get somewhere fast, he rides a black-footed ferret he named Willowby.

Ronin

Ronin is a scout. It’s in his job description to protect Pixie Hollow and everyone who lives there. He’s fast, and an agile fighter, but.. he also has a tendency to go off on his own to explore, as well as the fact that he does like to tease a bit. He’s a smooth talker, most of the time, and he’s fairly well-liked around the Hollow.

However, he’s pretty bad at handling real affection directed toward him, especially the physical kind. As he usually is on guard and prepared for combat in some way or another, surprise affection can really get him on edge, and even if it’s something like an accidental kiss, he may run away like he’s been shocked, if only just to process his confusion. Fairies and sparrowmen do only feel one emotion at a time, after all.

Caster

He used to be a dust keeper around Pixie Hollow, but he has since gone rogue, and did so even before Tinker Bell was born. He stole pixie dust, especially a bit of blue dust, and he was experimenting with it long before Zarina tried. Like her, he too joined up with pirates for a while, but he left them of his own accord when they were no longer of use to him.

He’s shorter than most sparrowmen, at a height of about 4.8 inches. But he’s created something even Zarina never figured out. Anti-dust. While normal pixie dust helps others to fly and objects to float about, this black dust with its crimson glow does the opposite. It weighs everything down, and could even create a crushing weight if enough of it is used.

So beware of the rogue dust keeper. He isn’t your friend in the least. He is the one they all warn the newbies about, and the reason why the blue dust is so vigilantly guarded. But.. maybe Oleander knows something about why.

Jinx

Jinx is a tinker. He knows his way around all sorts of tools and devices, and he can figure out almost any puzzle thrown his way. But it isn’t just that. While tinkers usually are of a mind to build and create, Jinx is much more likely to take things apart, even if it’s something the other tinkers just finished working on. Queen Clarion has acknowledged it as boundless curiosity, but he is advised to keep his curious nature in check.

And he does keep in check. Most of the time. He does have a tendency to get into trouble with Euro, Ridge, and Nero quite often. Especially when Jinx has taken apart or picked a locking mechanism that is supposed to keep everyone out of important places. As such is the case, most scouts and those in charge of keeping things in order.. aren’t always fond of him. Or the other three.

Euro

A dust keeper with a penchant for mischief. Not really the best combination, especially considering he’s friends with Jinx the lock-breaking tinker. He’s often seeking out Jinx, and if he isn’t looking for his friend or doing his job, he actually also has a fondness for placing bets. He has a great mind for games and probabilities, as well as managing dust.

But it’s the fact he works with dust that can be a little bit of a problem. Euro has his own hidden stash of pixie dust, and he occasionally adds to it. But.. why does he even have it? Well, that’s because he uses it for betting. And sure, it’s great for emergencies too, but a little harmless gambling isn’t so bad, right?

Kestrel

This is the sweetest, most gentle sparrowman anyone could ever meet. Kestrel is genuinely kindhearted and just full of love and affection to give to others. Even those who aren’t so friendly to him. Like a young tinker by the name of Gizmo, for example. Kestrel is an animal talent, but often goes out of his way to check up on his young friend. Making sure he’s eating right and all that. He knows he doesn’t have to, but he likes to do it anyway.

Kestrel does have a secret, though. After an encounter with a strange animal no one had ever seen before, during which Kestrel was wounded by the creature’s claws, Kestrel has to make regular visits to the healing fairies, or else the toxin still in his body even now will force him to change, and lose his sense of self for a while. Beware if Kestrel’s blond hair turns silver, because he will not know friend from foe, and the normally gentle sparrowman has turned aggressive and dangerous.

Lotus

Calm, quiet, usually minds his own business except to keep others from getting hurt, Lotus is the sort of water talent that can often be found meditating on a lily pad in the middle of a pond. He’s curious, but not enough to seek out trouble like some others might. He’s more likely to be the one who gets dragged along on adventures by others who are more energetic and outgoing.

Lotus actually came very close to being a scout instead of a water talent, and he has a very high instinct to protect. But at the last moment, it failed and he was instead a water talent. Not that he minds. He knows all the action the scouts get involved in, and he’s content to just take life one step at a time, even if he does always have an eye out in case of trouble.

Oleander

Oleander is more than just a little unusual, especially for a garden talent, but he actually manages it fairly well and manages to go through life just the same as anyone else. Except for one, tiny detail. He seems to have no regard for his own life, and actually may even find enjoyment in near-death experiences. He’s what other fairies and sparrowmen call a ‘tossaway’, as it seems he would gladly toss away his own life, for hardly any reason at all.

But there is a secret behind all of this. Behind his casual charisma, and his apparent humor in a tossaway lifestyle. He was once best friends with Caster, and actually went rogue alongside him for a while before he grew a conscience and returned to Pixie Hollow to do penance for the things he had done, and what he helped Caster to do. He supplied Caster with the ingredient to make his black ‘anti-dust’. A black Narcissus flower. Now he behaves rather flippantly and acts as if he has no care in the world, but every day that goes by he still regrets what he did, and still misses his best friend.

Ridge

Definitely not the smartest guy out there. Among garden talents, Ridge is honestly just usually the muscle, rather than the one who takes on more delicate tasks. He’s rough and tumble, and often down in the dirt with the larger bulbs and things like that. His pride and joy though is the large and gnarled willow tree just past the edge of the Hollow, that has become the hangout spot for him and his friends.

That aside, though, he is actually a fantastic cook. Anyone in Pixie Hollow who thinks they know good food, hasn’t tasted anything like Ridge’s blackberry bread rolls, or his orange and lemon sugar pies. Even his roast tomatoes and baked apples are unlike anything else ever made. It’s honestly surprising that he’s a garden talent, and not simply a cook.

Nero

A fast-flyer with more than enough energy to go around, Nero is honestly of the friendlier sort than some other fast-flyers may be. He actually enjoys zipping back and forth across Pixie Hollow just to run errands for others. Need some food for a baby animal? He’ll go fetch it! Oh, that basket has to be delivered somewhere? Say no more, Nero is on the job! And what about those seeds? They need to be scattered out in the field? Nero definitely has that handled too!

But when he’s not doing his job or helping others, he’s hoarding some cool human things he’s found. Or he’s getting into some trouble with Jinx, Euro, and Ridge. Honestly, he’s not quite sure what the plan is half the time, but he’s having fun with his friends, and that’s what counts!

Aspen

Well, it would be a lie to say that Aspen isn’t a bit of an odd one. An almost obsessive addiction to sweets, the tendency to appear in places no one would ever expect he’d be, and.. he carries around an odd little doll. For a winter animal talent, he’s definitely on the strange side, and everyone on the winter side knows it. And as much as they might want to question it, most choose not to. But that’s just it, there’s always more to the story than just that.

And the truth of it is, Aspen is nearly blind. He still sees shapes and movement, and maybe a bit of color, but not much else besides that. His doll is his comfort, as are sweets, and he’s gotten amazing at sneaking up on people, because he does everything he can to mask his steps so he can be sure to hear better, just in case of any danger. It’s actually because of his blindness that he also keeps companionship with a snowy owl he calls Lune. Lune keeps a lookout for him, making sure everything is safe for his vision-impaired little friend.

Gizmo

Ever met a moody tinker? Well, here’s one. Gizmo isn’t the type to make friends, and instead would rather keep to himself, building complex parts to the mechanisms that are used all around Pixie Hollow. Unfortunately for him, Kestrel doesn’t take no for an answer. As much as Gizmo may insist that they aren’t friends, he just can’t get rid of him.

Gizmo has been called rude, grumpy, bad-tempered or even aggressive. But it’s just mostly that he’s a loner and likes to be left alone. But.. does he really? Underneath his moodiness, there is a softer side. He isn’t great with affection, despite secretly wanting it, and that’s due to the fact that shortly after his birth, he was somewhat looked over. That, and he got lost deep in the woods for several weeks, having to survive entirely on his own for what seemed like an eternity. He was eventually found by Kestrel, but by then, he’d become reclusive and harsh, actively refusing the company of others.

By the time Kestrel had found him though, he was hungry and weak, cold and wet, and utterly exhausted, even a little battered and bruised. It’s that that is the reason Kestrel keeps checking up on him, and Gizmo knows that. But he spent too long alone, so soon after he’d been born that it was most of what made up his early experiences, and made him shy away from others rather than seeking them out.

#;; pawprints and wild mischief (lark)#;; a charismatic protector (ronin)#;; the sins of the past will drag you down (caster)#;; mischief and fallen pieces (jinx)#;; gambling with dust (euro)#;; a cheery smile to cover his pain (kestrel)#;; keep a steady flow (lotus)#;; tossaway from the garden brambles (oleander)#;; strength of nature (ridge)#;; wild wind blown energy (nero)#;; winter paws and a mysterious smile (aspen)#;; a loner who should never have been alone (gizmo)

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