Flying insects on the Korean Chrysanthemums in Central Park

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By November in NYC, most flying insects have started to disappear as winter begins to approach our city, and it is usually quite hard now to find more than a very few, rather boring flying insects.

However, in the Conservatory Garden within Central Park, entering on 5th Ave at 106th Street, there is the "French Garden". Every year in summer they plant an enormous number of young Korean Chrysanthemum plants, in every possible color and variety.

The Korean Chrysanthemums plants are large by fall, and they come into flower quite late, in October, reaching their peak flowering in early November. The flowers are quite fragrant, and the smell of the nectar broadcasts their presence over a large area, attracting every kind of insect that is interested in nectar or pollen, as well as some predatory insects who are hoping to capture and eat a few of the pollinating insects.

I try to visit the French Garden numerous times during the flowering weeks of the Korean Chrysanthemums, whenever the weather is sunny and warmish. While I am there, I walk around the oval-shaped flower beds, photographing almost every insect I see, although I confess that I ignore most of the zillion Western Honey Bees that visit the flowers.

Because I take so many photographs, I end up with numerous observations of the most common bees and flower flies, but because of my scattershot approach, I also usually end up with photos of a few uncommon or rare critters. For example, this year I photographed a Scatophaga species which I thought might be Scatophaga furcata. If that is the correct ID, that would be a new record for NYC: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/141655549

I really enjoy making images of insects on the Korean Chrysanthemums, because the colorful flowers are such a lovely backdrop for the insects, which are also often quite beautiful in themselves. I see honeybees, bumblebees, small bees of other various kinds, flower flies, numerous other kinds of flies, beetles, true bugs, butterflies (e.g. this Monarch: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/141651027), moths too, and sometimes one or more dragonflies.

In the French Garden at this wonderful time of year, I also often run into Ken Chaya and/or Mike Freeman, two terrific naturalists and iNatters who both specialize in Syrphids (flower flies).

This whole Korean Chrysanthemum outburst is really a kind of flower and insect festival, and it serves me as a highly colorful and entertaining goodbye to summer/fall each year.

I love it!
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Posted on November 11, 2022 05:36 PM by susanhewitt susanhewitt

Observations

Photos / Sounds

What

Shiny Blue Bottle Fly (Cynomya cadaverina)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 02:08 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Transverse-banded Flower Fly (Eristalis transversa)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 02:12 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

North American Tarnished Plant Bug (Lygus lineolaris)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 02:12 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Spotted Cucumber Beetle (Diabrotica undecimpunctata)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 02:13 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Transverse-banded Flower Fly (Eristalis transversa)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 02:14 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Western Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 02:15 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Brown-belted Bumble Bee (Bombus griseocollis)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 02:20 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Common Drone Fly (Eristalis tenax)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 02:23 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Transverse-banded Flower Fly (Eristalis transversa)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 02:24 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Muscoid Flies (Superfamily Muscoidea)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 02:27 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Yellow-shouldered Drone Fly (Eristalis stipator)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 02:32 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Secondary Screwworm Fly (Cochliomyia macellaria)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 02:32 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Transverse-banded Flower Fly (Eristalis transversa)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 02:33 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Common Eastern Bumble Bee (Bombus impatiens)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 02:35 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Transverse-banded Flower Fly (Eristalis transversa)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 02:38 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Margined Calligrapher (Toxomerus marginatus)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 02:40 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Narrow-headed Marsh Fly (Helophilus fasciatus)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 02:42 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Common European Greenbottle Fly (Lucilia sericata)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 02:43 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 02:43 PM EST

Description

Apparently, if my ID is correct, this fly is hunting for prey here on the flower.

Photos / Sounds

What

Common Drone Fly (Eristalis tenax)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 02:48 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Shiny Blue Bottle Fly (Cynomya cadaverina)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 02:48 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Transverse-banded Flower Fly (Eristalis transversa)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 02:50 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Thick-legged Hover Fly (Syritta pipiens)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 02:51 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Long-tailed Aphideater Complex (Complex Eupeodes americanus)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 02:54 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Greenbottle Flies (Genus Lucilia)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 02:54 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Common Drone Fly (Eristalis tenax)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 02:58 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Eurasian Drone Fly (Eristalis arbustorum)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 02:58 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Black-shouldered Drone Fly (Eristalis dimidiata)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 02:59 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Eurasian Drone Fly (Eristalis arbustorum)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 02:59 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Common Flesh Flies (Genus Sarcophaga)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 03:02 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Transverse-banded Flower Fly (Eristalis transversa)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 03:03 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Common Drone Fly (Eristalis tenax)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 03:04 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Wavy Mucksucker (Orthonevra nitida)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 03:05 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Chrysanthemums (Genus Chrysanthemum)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 03:09 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Eurasian Drone Fly (Eristalis arbustorum)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 03:09 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

North American Tarnished Plant Bug (Lygus lineolaris)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 03:11 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Transverse-banded Flower Fly (Eristalis transversa)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 03:11 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Transverse-banded Flower Fly (Eristalis transversa)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 03:11 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Western Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 03:12 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Calyptrate Flies (Zoosubsection Calyptratae)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 03:12 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Spotted Cucumber Beetle (Diabrotica undecimpunctata)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 03:12 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Common Drone Fly (Eristalis tenax)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 03:13 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Brown-belted Bumble Bee (Bombus griseocollis)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 03:14 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Common Eastern Bumble Bee (Bombus impatiens)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 02:57 PM EST

Description

On the right in this image.

Photos / Sounds

What

Golden Tortoise Beetle (Charidotella sexpunctata)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

November 10, 2022 02:55 PM EST

Description

Feeding holes in a leaf of the sweet potato vine.

Comments

@mattparr -- Are you back in Philadelphia now?

Posted by susanhewitt over 1 year ago

@steven-cyclist
@catverde
@zitserm
@karenholmberg

Anyone want to come to see the Korean Chrysanthemum flowers and their attendant insects tomorrow early afternoon (maybe 2 pm?) at 106th Street and 5th Ave??

I will be there for an hour or two taking lots of pics.

Posted by susanhewitt over 1 year ago

Thanks Susan! I've been wondering what those flowers were in so many of your images! Nice!

Posted by ken-potter over 1 year ago

Oh, I would love to but I am out of town. Back on Tuesday.

Posted by catverde over 1 year ago

@catverde -- If we get another warmish sunny day before the end of the week I will let you know and maybe I can meet you there.

Maybe on Thursday or Friday?

Posted by susanhewitt over 1 year ago

@catverde -- Winter starts today -- the shortest day of the year. I hope we get a warm enough day for you and I to meet up within the next few weeks.

Posted by susanhewitt over 1 year ago

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