It’s Bee Fly season!
It’s not a bee, and it doesn’t look like a typical fly, but this pom-pom on wings is certainly in the running for cutest insect.
Bombylius genus flies carry a formidable, un-retractable needle-like organ in front of their head. But it’s not a stinger or a weapon of any sort. It’s a bodily straw used only to sip nectar. Below, you can see a fuzzy photo of one particularly long-snouted Bee Fly hovering in front of honeysuckle, which stores its nectar deep inside its tubular blossom.
That said, Bee Flies are not 100% innocence and light. The fact they look like a bumblebee helps them pursue a devious lifestyle. After mating, females find areas where solitary bees live, and flick their eggs into the entrance of the nest. There’s a link to a video of this maneuver below, and it’s pretty amazing: While hovering, they swing their entire body to pitch an egg to its destination.
Once the eggs hatch, the larvae move inside the tunnel and eat the food stores meant for the bees, and then feed on the bee larvae. Adult flies emerge from the bee nests in the spring and start the cycle anew.
These flies are easily spotted at Mount Pisgah. They often zip around above the pathways, looking for nest openings. They can hover in place quite well, but they tend to buzz away if you try to approach too closely. They also visit flowers to enjoy the nectar.
Bombylius major is the most common Bee Fly in our area. Also known as the Dark-edged Bee Fly, it has brown to black markings on the leading edge of its wings and adults are very good, generalist pollinators.
Stay curious!
P.S. Don’t forget to check out Karen’s 2025 blog, The Daily Insect. Many of the featured creatures were photographed at Mount Pisgah.
Sources:
Bee Fly information from a British site: https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/bee-flies-cute-bee-mimic-with-a-dark-side.html. Accessed 4/7/25.
Slow motion of a Bee Fly depositing an egg: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=696131554451606. Accessed 4/7/25.
All photos by Karen Richards.