It is not a wasp, it is a hoverfly mimicing a wasp

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It is not a wasp, it is a hoverfly mimicing a wasp

An article about a Manitoba man who died after being attacked by a swarm made it to the CBC today.

The image attached to the article was not that of a wasp though, but rather, a hoverfly. These are dipteras, meaning "two wings", as all other true flies. Also the bulging eyes and very short antennae are very characteristic of all flies.

This particular hoverfly is mimicing a wasp's coloring, and hence the confusion. By being so close to a wasp in looks, it can avoid being eaten by many predators.

Here is a screenshot of the article, in case it gets corrected in the future.

Hoverfly mimicing a Wasp

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