New garden species

Bombylius major (Large bee fly)♀︎

Last update: 30 November 2019


Uncommon

LOCATION:
OBSERVATION:
2019-V-24


A new familiar face in the garden, the Large bee fly (Bombylius major) [1, 2].
A female what can be seen from the eyes that have a wider separation between them [3].

Large bee fly ♀︎ (Bombylius major)

This specimen is rather damaged on its wings and it is also missing most of the hairs on the top part of its body. Normally this species, like most other Bee flies, is very densely haired and somewhat resemblance with a bumble bee.

I’m familiar with this insect from my holidays in the Southern Europe but hadn’t seen it in the garden before. Unfortunately the pictures were not great so hopefully she’ll return and I can do a re-shoot.


References

1 Nederlands Soortenregister

2 Smit, J.T., 2016. Soortzoeker wolzwevers van de Benelux. Naturalis Biodiversity Center & EIS Kenniscentrum Insecten en andere ongewervelden, Leiden.

3 Lee, Yong-Bong & Han, Ho-Yeon. (2017). Taxonomic review of the genera Bombylius and Bombylella (Diptera: Bombyliidae) in Korea. Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology. 20. 10.1016/j.aspen.2017.09.009.

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