A film by Dr. Brian V. Brown & Edgar I. Chamorro
Additional photography: Kate Lain, Giar-Ann Kung and Inna-Marie Strazhnik
I was lucky enough to accompany the NHM collections team to document phorid fly behavior in the field. The resulting footage is included in this overview of Dr. Brown’s research. Waiting around in the jungle to catch a fly in the act of decapitating a trap-jaw ant (Ondontomachus) was an unforgettable experience. Check it out!
“With over 800,000 described species — more than half of all known living organisms — insects are the most diverse group of animals on Earth. The Natural History Museum’s entomology collection has more than 5.8 million specimens of insects and spiders. It is the largest in Southern California and has specimens from all over the world.” -NHMLA