Dark-edged Bee-fly - Bombylius major

Alternative names
Bee Fly
Description

A strange looking insect with its furry body and patterned wings. The long proboscis is used for drinking nectar and the fly is totally harmless.

Identification difficulty
Recording advice

If you can observe the difference, please record whether the fly was male or female. Males' eyes touch on top of the head, females' eyes are widely separated. Males tend to peak two weeks in advance of females and it would be good to get more supporting data for this difference.

Habitat

Gardens and hedgerows where it basks in sunny spots.

When to see it

Spring.

Life History

Its larvae eat the larvae of bees and wasps in their nests.

UK Status

Fairly common and widespread in Britain.

VC55 Status

Fairly common in Leicestershire and Rutland.

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2020+ | 2015-2019 | pre-2015

UK Map

Species profile

Common names
Dark-edged Bee-fly, Bee Fly
Species group:
Flies
Kingdom:
Animalia
Order:
Diptera
Family:
Bombyliidae
Records on NatureSpot:
541
First record:
14/04/2007 (Semper, Alan)
Last record:
18/03/2024 (Dejardin, Andrew)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

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