Bee Flies (1 Viewer)

[simondix]

Saw my first Bee Flies for ages today. I think they look quite weird. They were along a path in Arrow Valley Park Redditch.

 

[Forcreeks]

You know, I've never i.d.'d one of these. I live in NW USA, and my Audubon guide shows several. They are indeed strange looking, some nicer than others: Progressive Bee Fly (quite handsome!); Large Bee Fly (very strange looking). (Anthrax Exoprosopa - what a surprise that first genus part!; and Anthrax Bombylius.

 

[Paul Rule]

I love watching these feed on nectar, they behave just like minature humming birds

 

[CJW]

Fabulous little insects - is there only the one species in Britain? We get just the one here on the IOM. Seems to feed exclusively on wild Thyme nectar. I usually hear them before I see them - like a quiet mosquito.

 

[birdman]

Bee Flies... that's a new one on me...

How would I recognise one if I saw one, simondix - and where should I look?

(Personally I like our Hummingbird Hawk Moths - seeing as we don't get the "real" thing.)

 

[CJW]

They look like a small, fluffy, plain-brown bee with a long straight proboscis. The ones I see 'hang around' wild thyme - especially where the ground is broken up and the sandy soil is exposed (Manx ones are coastal).

 

[CJW]

Have a look at: http://www.gwydir.demon.co.uk/insects/bombyliidae.htm

 

[jeff]

Can't say I've heard of them either but here's a web link

http://www.kendall-bioresearch.co.uk/beefly.htm

 

[birdman]

Now that's interesting, CJW...

When me and my good lady were on holiday in Slovenia a couple of years back, we were "approached" by something that sounds very similar.

Like you say, they was fluffy, brown, long proboscis, and also had big black eyes - and one seemed to be very much checking us out.

We were quite taken with them actually, as they looked quite comical. Very much like "cartoon" flies.

Reckon you've solved a little mystery for us.

Cheers

 

[birdman]

JUST CHECKED THE LINKS

THAT'S THE CHAP!!!!

 

[CJW]

I love your description of them as 'Cartoon Flies' - very apt and it made me remember sitting and watching them last summer and laughing to myself. Must have looked a bit strange from a distance - a grown man sitting in the mileel of a heath and laughing at the ground. No wonder I didn't see anyone else all day!

 

[birdman]

If I'm ever on the island, I'll keep an eye out for you!!!

 

[CJW]

Nobody ever comes here - to the outside world, we have nowt of interest. The odd heath-based nutter, but that's about it

 

[steve_nova]

Bee flies...I remember reading about them years ago. They are I think brood parasites of Bumble Bees.
They will hover outside a Bees nest (the female) firing their eggs into the opening. These later hatch and feed on ?
I had better go and look at that website I think.

 

[CJW]

Nope, you're right Steve - the larva are parasitic.

 

[IanF]

Does anyone know the identity of this little fellow. We saw it in Majorca last year but couldn't get any further with the id ?

I'd appreciate it if someone could put a name to it, just for peace of mind.
Unknown Bee

 

[Paul Rule]

Just had the first one this year in the garden feeding on Forget-me-not. Tried to get a photo but it would not stay in one spot long enough

 

[simondix]

Sorry I could not reply to the thread I started. I have been in Cyprus for a week. Lots of birds, saw my first Swallowtail and lots of other things I did not recognise. I use Collins Guide to Insects by Michael Chinery. It is a good book but really only skims the surface of a very deep pool.

 

[Forcreeks]

Ian, that's a great photo of a very strange looking bee. I looked at all bees in Audubon Insect guide for N. Amer. just in case there was a close cousin, but didn't see anything similar. I'll have to look through all the flies too. Nice shot for sure. Steve B