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Milichia patrizii Ant-Mugging Fly, with Crematogaster Ant
Milichiidae
South Africa

photograph © Alex Wild 2008

An ant-mugging fly steals a bit of food from a Crematogaster ant. Note how the fly's proboscis cups the ant's mouthparts to capture the regurgitated liquid.

 
Republic of South Africa: 
Kwazulu-Natal, St. Lucia
3.vii.2008 28º23.3'S 32º24.3'E, 10m
Coastal  forest edge, on Acacia trrunk
voucher specimens deposited at BMNH

This image is copyrighted by the photographer and cannot be used without permission. To obtain permission to use this image, please email Alex Wild. (alwild (at) myrmecos.net).  Most of the photographs on myrmecos.net are reduced from their original size and compressed for more efficient web transmission.  In some cases, higher quality versions are available.

This image was captured with a Canon EOS 20D, using a Canon 65/2.8 MPE 1-5x Macro lens.