Scavenger flies on a dead honey bee?

Nature Talk
1

I recently uploaded an image of a Western Honey Bee which had been taken as a prey item by a Wheel Bug:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/140094111
When I looked at my images more closely, I detected a swarm of small flies crawling on the bee even as it was still in the grasp of the wheel bug:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/140158517
I’m wondering what they are doing. Collecting nectar or pollen off of the deceased bee? I’m quite certain the flies wouldn’t be doing this when the bee was alive. Has anyone observed this behavior previously?

1 Like
2

Family Milichiidae, it is a known opportunistic behaviour: https://www.naturamediterraneo.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=4995

2 Likes
3

Thanks for that link. My Italian is a little rusty. Has anyone suggested what the flies are actually getting or feeding on?

Grazie per quel collegamento. Temo che il mio italiano sia troppo povero per leggere tutti i dettagli di quelle foto. Qualcuno ha spiegato cosa sono le mosche?

4

They feed on hemolymph of killed (by others) insects.

2 Likes
5

Jackal flies

6

I have a similar observation with these flies except it is on a Crab Spider preying on an Eastern honey bee

1 Like
7

This topic was automatically closed 60 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.