Can anybody Identify this?

neilanddebbies · #1 (**permalink**) 07-04-2008, 06:36 PM

I caught a strang insect flying in my louge yesterday. I have photo's but do not know how to upload them. It has a body the shape of a Bee. ^ legs. Wings are Black of front edge and silver/clear on rear. It has a long Tentical thing which can bend at about 5mm from the end. The body is furry and plain brown on top and white and brown stripe on underneath.

Thanks Neil

Kayleigh · #2 (**permalink**) 07-04-2008, 06:43 PM

I think it is a bee fly did it look like this,

Photo from JonathanOrchids from the Gallery.

wildlifesnapper · #3 (**permalink**) 07-04-2008, 06:44 PM

Hi
sounds like a Bee Fly - Bombylius major.

neil

neilanddebbies · #4 (**permalink**) 07-04-2008, 06:49 PM

Thanks a lot. As you can see I used one of the photo's as my avatar. The said insect does resemble yours exactly. I was hoovering up my back garden yesterday and wondered if I had desturbed it flew into the house without me knowing.

Its great to have a name for it. I still have it in a glass. Is it OK to put out.

Neil

Kayleigh · #5 (**permalink**) 07-04-2008, 07:21 PM

You was hoovering your back garden

Yes, put him out..

wildlifesnapper · #6 (**permalink**) 07-04-2008, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

You was hoovering your back garden

Havn't you seen the Dyson four wheel drive

Geoff F · #7 (**permalink**) 07-04-2008, 08:29 PM

My previous neighbour was always hoovering the garden. He was a retired builder; a nice guy but he loved his power tools. Everytime a leaf dropped from a tree he would rush out with the garden vacuum cleaner. And he used a spirit level while trimming the hedge every day.

The new people are a bit more laid back about their garden.

Steve H · #8 (**permalink**) 07-04-2008, 09:24 PM

Certainly a Bombylius major!!

Dogghound · #9 (**permalink**) 07-04-2008, 09:34 PM

Two people have mentioned it being Bombus major, i arnt saying its not but how can either of you ID the picture and description to species level? There are quite afew other species of Bombyliidae it could be in the UK.

wildlifesnapper · #10 (**permalink**) 07-04-2008, 09:52 PM

Did you miss my "sounds like"?

I didn't see the picture

In Stubbs there looks to be two contenders, B.major and B.discolor.The latter has spotted wings so that leaves major which has the dark strip at the front of the wing and clear at the rear and is also the most common.Hence - sounds like.

neil