Yay! The Bee-flies have arrived here as well now! There were loads of them zooming about the place today! Thankfully this one decided to have a sunbathe on our garden fence, and so I managed to get a shot!

Tags:   Dark-edged Bee-fly Bombylius major Garden Fence Sunbathing Basking Bee Fly South Woodham Ferrers Essex Spring 2016 April Insect Invertebrate Elite Bug

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This gorgeous little Bee Fly was enjoying some early evening sunshine, along with some underfloor heating from the sun-warmed brick wall he was resting on!

Tags:   Bee Fly Bombylius major Insect South Woodham Ferrers Essex Spring 2105 April Brick Shadow Early Evening Sunshine Bombyliidae Fly Bee Mimic

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Spring is in the air and so is 'lurve'! A pair of Bee Flies making babies along Woodham Fen!

Tags:   South Woodham Ferrers Essex Essex Wildlife Trust Bee Fly Bee Flies Mating Spring April 2015 Insects Pair Male Female

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I took my camera for a walk at lunchtime, and the Bee-flies were out in force!

Bee-flies are a family of flies (Bombyliidae) that have stout, furry bodies. Most species of bee-fly have a long, thin proboscis extending in front of the body. Bee-flies are true flies but their furry appearance makes them look a little like bumblebees, hence their name. Bee-flies are one of the first insects on the wing each spring and are frequently seen on primroses and bugle in April and May. This particular Bee-fly, which just seemed to be sunbathing, is Bombylius major, the 'Dark-edged Bee-fly', or the 'Large Bee-fly'.

Adult bee-flies feed on nectar and use their long proboscis to sip nectar from flowering plants whilst hovering in front of the flower - rather like a humming bird. Bee-flies are very agile and often hover near flowers before darting quickly away and then returning to hover again.

Bee-flies are harmless to humans but most species of bee-fly are parasites on the nests of solitary bees (for example, Andrena sp.). The adult bee-fly hovers above the entrance hole to the nest and drops eggs into the nest. The bee-fly larvae eat the pollen food stores and the grubs of the solitary bee.

Tags:   Bombylius major Bee Fly Dark-edged Bee-fly Large Bee-fly Insect Parasite Bombyliidae Spring April 2015 Fly Basildon Essex

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Oh no! Not another Bee Fly! Sorry - couldn't resist! I love these little critters so much!

Tags:   Bee Fly Bombylius major Ivy Spring April 2015 Basildon Essex Roadside Verge Shadow Insect Fly Elite Bug

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