Green bottle fly

Nature never runs out of ways to present something extraordinary at any given moment. This morning, I spotted a beautiful metallic-green fly perched calmly at the tip of a blue porterweed flower stalk. At first, it was simply resting there, but a few moments later, it began to inch slowly toward the flower itself. It moved with great care, as if not wanting to disturb its surroundings with its movements.

Upon reaching the blossom, the fly examined every detail of the petals. Once the inspection was complete, it sought out the nectar and began to feed. I noticed it sipping the nectar delicately, seemingly careful not to damage the petals. The fly I encountered was a green bottle fly, a member of the Calliphoridae family.

Many people consider this fly a nuisance a repulsive creature drawn to filth like garbage and carrion. Yet, for those of us who hunt for insects in the wild, it is a sought-after subject. It is a beautiful creature to photograph a work of nature worthy of being captured in an image. Just look at its tiny body, radiating an emerald-green sheen with hints of metallic blue that glow softly when touched by the light.