Pair of colorful rainforest bugs enjoy breakfast together

This pretty fly was filmed in the Amazon rainforest of Ecuador. It is feeding on bird droppings in company of a leaf beetle. The color pattern of its eyes is due to interference of light in thin filter layers on top of the hexagonal array of the numerous tiny ommatidia which make up these compound eyes. The purpose of this color pattern is still hypothetical, it may serve as signal in courtship, but it also affects color reception by the fly.Show more

The white knobs behind the wings are rapidly oscillating modified hindwings which serve as gyroscopes that provide information about the rotation of the body during flight, helping the fly to execute the most acrobatic maneuvers.