tristanmcknight's Favorites

Menage et trois...

I found this crazy construction buzzing about in a park. They actually flew together through the air like this! Apparently this kind of fly does this "when the pheromones are floating around". Thanks to the fine folks of BugGuide for the explanation!

I think this is a Mexican duck: olive yellow bill on “female” mallard color during breeding season, no curly tail feathers, color distinction between head and body. Though it looks like there’s a little mallard introgression in the hint of green to the dark marks on the head and fairly white tail. Should I call it a hybrid?
The last picture (with the female mallard and a Muscovy duck) is included because I liked seeing the contrast between the true mallard and the Mexican.

Tentative id based on the red toes, tibias and black femurs. These fell on the ground. A female with a male and a third attempting to join. There was a Polistes wasp caught up in the frenzy, but was dead by the time they all hit the ground. Maybe hinei instead of rufipes?