Imposters!

I was nearly suckered as I was out in the garden taking some pictures.  But something about it made me take a closer look.  Something about those eyes…

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It may look like a bee.  I mean it’s crawling around on a flower, it’s kind of stripe-ity, and even has a pointy looking thing on its tail.  But when you look a little closer you realize it just doesn’t look quite right.

That’s because it’s not a bee at all, but an imposter.  This is one of the many hoverflies that try to pass themselves off as a bee or wasp.  This kind of mimicry helps keep them safe from predators that might otherwise try to eat them, but leave them alone because the predators are tricked into thinking they might sting back.  Hoverflies don’t sting, but they are just as important in pollinating plants so you want them around.  I’ll keep this one!