Bombylius major

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Large Bee Fly
Bombylius major
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Subphylum: Hexapoda Class: Insecta Subclass: Pterygota Infraclass: Neoptera Order: Diptera Suborder: Brachycera Family: Bombyliidae Subfamily: Bombyliinae Genus: Bombylius Species: B. major
Binomial name
Bombylius major Linnaeus, 1758
Synonyms
Asilus lanigerus Geoffroy, 1785 Bombylius aequalis Fabricius, 1781 Bombylius albipectus Macquart, 1855 Bombylius anonymus Sulzer, 1761 Bombylius antenoreus Lioy, 1864 Bombylius australis Loew, 1855 Bombylius basilinea Loew, 1855 Bombylius consanguineus Macquart, 1840 Bombylius fratellus Wiedemann, 1828 Bombylius variegatus De Geer, 1776 Bombylius vicinus Macquart, 1840

The Large Bee Fly Bombylius major is a spectacular bee mimic, squat and very hairy, 14 to 18mm in length and a wingspan around 24mm. Dark patches on the anterior half of the wings. Forward looking, very typical fly eyes. It has long hairy legs, that dangle whilst in flight. Very long proboscis.

Bee flies are expert flyers, and their hovering habit has some lead to them being incorrectly called a species of hoverfly (Syrphidae).

Found in April to June throughout throughout temperate Europe and North America and some parts of Asia.

Adults feed by means of their very long proboscises on the nectar of many species of flower, but most notably primroses (Primula). Larvae feed by attacking the grubs of solitary bees and wasps in their underground nests

The eggs are flicked by the adult female towards the entrance of solitary bee and wasp nests, after hatching the larvae find their way into the nests and feed on the grubs.