The greater bee fly is a fuzzy fly that looks like a small bumble bee and shows up early each spring across much of North America. It hovers in front of early wildflowers, sipping nectar through a long, stiff "beak." It can't bite or sting.
Appearance
- Appearance
- A round, furry body about 0.3–0.4 in (7–11 mm) long, covered in tan hair. The front half of each wing is dark brown, and a long, straight sticks out in front. Males are usually smaller than females.
- Voice
- Its wings make a high-pitched buzz.
Look-alikes
Bumble beesBombus
A bee fly has only one pair of wings, a small head, and very thin legs. Its long, straight proboscis held out in front is the easiest clue.
Why they get mixed upIts round, fuzzy body mimics a bumble bee.
Where it lives
- Typical habitats
- Woodland edges
- Sunny clearings
- Gardens
- Range
- Widespread across temperate North America, Europe, and parts of Asia.
Behavior
- Diet
- Adults drink nectar and also eat pollen, especially from blue and violet flowers. They pollinate many spring wildflowers, though they sometimes take nectar without picking up pollen.
- Activity
- Flies on warm, sunny days, mainly from April into June. It favors sunny spots, darts away from shadows, and often swivels in midair while hovering.
Life cycle
- Larva
- Females hover at the nest holes of ground-nesting solitary bees and flick eggs toward the entrance. The larvae crawl in, eat the bee's stored food and young, and spend the winter as pupae.
Conservation
- IUCN Red List
- NENot EvaluatedNot yet assessed
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