Dinnertime! In the natural world, everyone’s gotta eat

Journal Staff One of the fascinating things about watching the natural world is the interplay of creatures in the food chain, says Sarnia wildlife photographer Ronny D’Haene “It’s a jungle out there,” he said. “It’s eat or be eaten.

Journal Staff

One of the fascinating things about watching the natural world is the interplay of creatures in the food chain, says Sarnia wildlife photographer Ronny D’Haene

“It’s a jungle out there,” he said. “It’s eat or be eaten.”

Take the elusive bumblebee robber fly, for example.

Also known as assassin flies, these great pretenders of the insect world look exactly like bumblebees so they can trick and prey on unsuspecting insects.

Despite their appearance, robber flies are true flies, lack a stinger, and rob the life out of their prey.

“Talk about a deceptive creature. The other insects out there think it’s a bumblebee, act naturally, and the next thing they know they’re being eaten,” said D’Haene, who has recently recorded two different kinds of these devious mimics.

D’Haene has had several photo features published in The Journal this year. This one is devoted to local wildlife all busily engaged in the act of doing lunch.

“We all gotta eat,” he said.