"Corn on the Cob" Hoverfly on Goldenrod

Wallpaper Description:

I've learned a lot about goldenrod during the past month. I have my daughter in law to thank for that, as she has a large patch of it growing by the side of her house.

Goldenrod is a beautiful plant when in bloom. There are an amazing variety of insects that pollinate it. The photos I took have many interesting ones at work.

Because goldenrod is pollinated by insects, it is Not the plant that causes sneezing, and itchy watery eyes. Another plant; which blooms at the same time, ragweed, is the real culprit. Ragweed is wind pollinated, and spreads it's spores through the air, making many people miserable in the late Summer and early Fall. Because goldenrod is a much brighter and showier plant, it often gets the blame.

PS. There are 100 to 120 species of goldenrod. I just learned that the kind I took photos of is called Canada Goldenrod. Since I live fairly close to the Canadian border, I guess that I shouldn't be surprised.

CollieSmile

I'm fairly certain that the insect in the middle of this wallpaper is a hoverfly. They are sometimes called flower flies. There are hundreds of different kinds. I'm not sure which kind this is, but I love the look of it; so much like corn on the cob!

Hoverflies resemble bees or wasps for a reason. It's a form of protection for them. They don't sting, but they look so much like bees or wasps, that predators and humans usually leave them alone.

(Since I wrote this description, I found two pictures of this particular insect online. One labels it as a wasp, and the other says it's a hoverfly. Sigh... This makes me glad that I didn't try to touch it. Who knows what might have happened?)

Here are links to all of my goldenrod plant photos:

(1) Mystery Bug & a Fly on Goldenrod:
https://nature.desktopnexus.com/wallpaper/2307905/

(2) Cup Plant Seed Heads:
https://nature.desktopnexus.com/wallpaper/2307906/

(3) Bumblebee on a Goldenrod Star:
https://nature.desktopnexus.com/wallpaper/2307907/

(4) "Corn on the Cob" Hoverfly on Goldenrod (That's this one.)

(5) Black Thread Waisted Wasp on Goldenrod
https://nature.desktopnexus.com/wallpaper/2307909/