The Bubble Blower - a photo on Flickriver

The Bubble Blower

As it is one year to the day since I put up my first photo, I blew a bubble in celebration!! :^))

This is the second of these tiny flies that I have caught blowing a bubble - I put one up last year which I will link below, but this is a much clearer photo and additionally I upscaled it x2 so that you can see really clearly, it did a pretty good job - worth a double click.

It is a very small fly indeed, not like a house fly and I had no idea he was blowing the bubble, I just took several photos and this was the only one in proper focus. Last time someone suggested it was perspiration, but that doesn't convince me, I rather think it has more to do with feeding and digestion. Just before moving to the petal he was mooching around the centre of the flower which is a small dahlia. I can't say if that was the same with the other one, which was on a Crane's-bill Geranium but I suspect it was.

Any suggestions as to the purpose - beyond celebratory, please add a comment.

A quick search just now and a science mag says it is to cool them down - so I guess *the science* is in then! I'm still not convinced - there, that should set the science police on me, what a rebel I am! Gosh! Who'd have thunk we can think for ourselves? I still think something to do with aiding digestion.

.....Further research diptera.info proposes perspiration or food digestion. He or she was definitely feeding just prior so I still plump for some kind of oxidization aid to digestion. If you look closely there appears to be some sort of debris / food / matter in the bubble. Also it seems they do not secrete the bubble, they pull it back in which doesn't seem to fit with perspiration.

The other photo is here -

www.flickr.com/photos/magoo7/52523052146/in/dateposted-pu...

Taken on: June 23, 2023

Tags:

Nature

Tiny fly

Flora and Fauna

Flower

Pink

Dahlia

Fuji

X-T4

XF80mmF2.8

Close up

Macro

Macro Photography « less

Sets appears in: • XF80mm f2.8 macro • Insects / Flies / etc more » • Dahlias • Pink Flowers « less

Groups appears in: • Photography • Macro more » • UK Flickr users • Magic Moments • !FlickrSoup for Soul • Amateurs • Flora and Fauna • Creative Photography • Flickr Nature - NO B/W, People, Structures etc • FlickrToday (only 1 pic per day) • Total Photography (No AI or SL) • Nice pictures • Insect Photography • Beauty of Nature • Just me and my camera ! • CLICK the CAMERA • *amazing nature* • Your mind, your photos • Macros Group • Self Taught Photographers - LOOK AT DISCUSSIONS FIRST! • ! * Animals and Birds of all Sizes • Macro for all • Nature...Anything Goes • VISUAL PLEASURE • NATURE ♥ unlimited ♥ (Public Group Forever) • Popular Photography Magazine • " ALL ANIMALS ( no people, no b&w, read group rules please) • Official National Geographic Group • ! 90+ Faves (P1,A+F3) • !WORLD OF ANIMALS! (Post 1 and Comment 1 or more) • AreKev's `Photo Book • !!Perfect Composition!! • Flickr's Biggest Group • Beauty of Life • National Geographic | World Wide • " INSECTS and SPIDERS of PLANET EARTH • DNG Photo Magazine • as beautiful as you want • ***Flickr Global • Butterflies, Moths and Insects UK • !* FLOWERS & VISITORS >living things< NO SINGLE FLOWERS! A2 • # # # EXOTIC IMAGE (ADM. INVITE) post 1, comment 1. • Windsong ~ (Admin invite only) ~ P1 - C2 • Camera Camaraderie • ***BUTTERFLIES & INSECTS *** • La passion de la Nature • Insects, Bugs, and Butterflies • Planet Earth! • arbor square ~ A Nature Group ~ P1/C2 • ` FLICKR ´ • Insectos en acción. • ! FavTop Plus 150+ (P1, A+F4) • Your Best Shot For Today • Fuji X • PhotoMadd Fujifilm X-Series Photographers • NUESTRAS FOTOGRAFÍAS. • Galería Siabala • Macro & Close up Photography • Wildlife and Landscape Photography • brilliant flickr • Macro Addicts, That is all. • *Mágico Mundo Natural * Magical Natural World * • Macro in nature • -- ❤️Love for life.. Only flowers an animals! • MirrorLessons Photography Pool • Art Grown in Nature • Artists of AGIN • Flickr Social • Today's Flickr • THE IMAGINATIVE CAMERA • flickr 4 all • NATURE'S KALEIDOSCOPE P1 X A1 • 60+ photographers • Fée NATURE • Beauty, Hidden In Plain Sight • Fujinon XF80mm F2.8 Macro • FAV 111+ (P1, A+F5) • 50, 100, 200, 500, 1.000 favoritas • ! * Click Click Bang Bang! • Life Through A Hole • !!!MAGIC OF MACRO NATURE (read rules re: content pls) • ηαтυяє • Photo Artistry • NATURAL Life And Landscapes...PLEASE KEEP FOCUS ON NATURE • Flickr Photo Unlimited (No People) • ~Attention Worthy - No 30/60 Limit • Hiking in nature • Sunday Lights - Only your best ! • The best photographs from around the world. • Flickrology • ! LMF 90+ faves (P1/C,F3) • The New Focus 1a • Fujifilm X-T4 User Group • Flickr-at-Home • *♪♪ Imagine ♪♪ NO WAR ☮️ • Insekten nur auf Blüten • Follow me my friends (public) • Photos Animaux de tous genres • Show your EXIF • 0 fave and more/ never mind the amount/ • ANIMAL FAUNA AND INSECTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.FAUNA ANIMAL E • all the little details • Ron Scubadiver's Fine Photography • Alle Arten von Käfer-u.a.Insekten-Toutes sortes de c • * no limits, just quality photography! • All Wonderful Photos (COMMENT OR LIKE OTHERS PHOTOS PLEASE) • -- Photogroup -- • The world of animals • any war is destruction of Lives in the interest of a few, peace. • WBEZ Radio • ! ΙΙ TOURISM magazine ! • Wonderful world - wonderful pics • Fans of Flickr • gezoomt , tele . nah dran • What is the Story? • WONDERS OF PHOTOGRAPHY IN GENERAL.MARAVILLAS DE LA FOTOGRAFIA EN • Immagini : stimolo, sogno, illuminazione • Flickr Wildlife « less

Camera: Fujifilm X-T4, f/8.0, 1/550 sec, 80mm (=120mm), ISO 500 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Fujifilm X-T4
Lens:	80.0 mm f/2.8
Aperture:	f/8.0
Exposure Time:	0.002 sec (1/550)
Focal Length:	80mm (35mm equivalent: 120mm)
ISO:	500
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	No Flash
Exposure Program:	Aperture-priority AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Sharpness:	Hard
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Luminar Neo
Show full info

Stats: 12,314 views / 156 comments