I see all kinds of flies when I am out in the wild with my camera, but I don’t think that I have ever seen one like this brightly-colored one that I spotted on Tuesday at Occoquan Regional Park. Some internet research suggests that it is a Golden-backed Snipe Fly (Chrysopilus thoracicus). It was hard to find detailed information about the life cycle of this species, but I did come across an amusing and informative article by Joe Boggs at The Ohio State University entitled Snipe Hunting, if you are interested in learning a little more about this unusual-looking fly.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
It is nice to know mother nature still holds a few secrets. Rather pretty and glittery ones at that. Thanks Mike.
Thanks, John. I think that it is safe to saw that I will continue to be amazed at the things that I encounter when I am out in nature. I think that many of them may have been present before, but only now are my senses honed enough to notice them. 🙂
What a cool fly!
I know that many people are totally turned off by flies, but the golden color and the pattern on the wings are sure to help this fly gain some fans. 🙂
I believe you are right. I didn’t think I would ever be entranced with a picture of a fly….but….!
I have never seen this one! Thank you Mike for a great share as always.😊
No matter how many times I visit a location, I am never sure what I will find there and an insect like this was a pleasant surprise.
Nature’s serendipity in motion.
And that is precisely what keep me going back to the same places over and over. 🙂
Most of my “fly encounters” are accidental while I’m out looking for birds or odonata. Now I have one more to be on the look out for!
That was an interesting link and Joe had some great information.
Very nice photograph, Mike!
You have some of the same curiosity that I do, Wally, if you went and read the referenced article. I don’t go on fly-hunting expeditions, but am ready to snap away whenever I see something interesting.
I saw these twice over the years. I’d love to come across another. They are among the most beautiful of flies…I am partial to hoverflies.
I love hover flies too–my current favorite is one called the Eastern Calligrapher Fly.
I don’t often like flies, but this golden back stopped me in my tracks. What a jewel… really striking, Mike!
I think it would make a nice piece of jewelry for someone with a punk sense of fashion. 🙂
Loved this when I saw it on FB! I like the idea of it as jewelry 🙂
I often visualize insects as jewelry, although beetles are the ones that usually catch my eye. This one is a beauty; the wing pattern is as lovely as the gold. If I were designing a brooch, I might go for marcasite. I laughed at the title of the article you linked. I recently used “snipe hunting,” too, but my post was about the bird.
I remember the first time I photographed a snipe–I thought it was the name of a fictitious bird. I smile every time I hear of “snipe hunting.”
Wow! Never thought I would give a fly a “Wow”!
Nature is full of surprises awaiting us. I am hoping to have lots of “wow!” moments ahead of me as I continue to wander.
I am looking and watching for more to come to you and us also.