Page 33 - Black Range Naturalist Vol 3 No 3 July 2020

the decline of Bumblebee populations. Bumblebees are large insects and often lumbering in their flight, so they get noticed. At this spot, I was able to photograph two other flying insects, much smaller. The Syrphid Fly (Genus Syrphini) pictured at the top is of a tribe with more than 140 species in 30 genera in North America. The systemics of the group are in “flux”, so it is probably good that I am not able to name this individual to species - ‘cause it might change next week. That said, it is quite possibly Eupeodes volucris, the Bird Hover Fly. That species is found in western North America, from the far north well into Mexico.
11. The species shown here (middle of right column) and on the following page is probably in the same tribe as the previous fly, in this case possibly the subgenus Eoseristalis.
12. Near the crest of the trail there are often many Turkey Vultures flying about and it is not uncommon for a Zone- tailed Hawk, Buteo albonotatus, to also be in the area, photo right taken on July 10.
Photograph - Back Cover: Sonoran Bumble Bee, Bombus sonorus, photographed in Hillsboro, New Mexico. If you have a particular interest in the natural history and identification of Bumble Bees you may wish to invest in Bumble Bees of North America by Paul Williams, Robbin Thorp, Leif Richardson, & Sheila Colla.
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