Unidentified Bombylius species

Hedera · #11 (**permalink**) 10-04-2010, 05:34 PM

I saw two of these yesterday, I think B. major? And a smaller one, which looked black - it didn't settle enough to take a pic though, kept darting about and chasing the others.

aeshna5 · #12 (**permalink**) 10-04-2010, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hedera

I saw two of these yesterday, I think B. major? And a smaller one, which looked black - it didn't settle enough to take a pic though, kept darting about and chasing the others.

Could the black one have been a female Anthophora plumipes bee- these fly quite rapidly between nectar points. Plenty of these in my garden recently with much chasing between them.

nutmeg · #13 (**permalink**) 11-04-2010, 09:25 AM

I agree with Aeshna's suggestion of female Anthophora plumipes for the black one - your description of the behaviour fits that of the bee well.

Hedera · #14 (**permalink**) 11-04-2010, 09:42 AM

Sounds right - it was quite amusing watching the buzzing technique, chasing the beeflies away but not taking any food itself!

Hedera · #15 (**permalink**) 13-04-2010, 04:20 PM

I had a different one today- very light yellow all over and smaller than the B. major the other day. Couldn't get a pic though.

mulattokid · #16 (**permalink**) 13-04-2011, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tristanba

I'd love to see B. discolor - if anyone knows of any sites not too far from London I'd be very grateful for the info. Do they occur in the New Forest?

Hello

They are definately in London.

I was in Pinner with my son yesterday. After shopping in Lidl we went to the kids playing area, just behind the Metropolitan line. At least one pair of these were performing what I presume was a courting dance right over the climbing frame!

Like hover flies, you can get right up to within a foot of them before they dart off to another spot. They appear to be examining the observer with equal intensity. My specimen appeared to have a lateral brown band running across the thorax from wing to wing.

Matt Smith · #17 (**permalink**) 13-04-2011, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveF48

I am as usual confused. This time by the different Bombylius specimens that have visited our field. There is a lot of variation in the markings, so do these photos show more than two species?
These 4 have the spotted wings of B. discolor, but are not the same:
a) orange body with brown abdomen

These 3 have no spots on the wings, like B. major:
e) Orange body white hairs on tail (rear end of the abdomen)

Just the two species - lots of variation in hair colours - as you can see.