Unidentified Bombylius species

SteveF48 · #1 (**permalink**) 11-04-2009, 10:38 AM

At first glance I thought that this was a photo of a Bee Fly, Bombylius Major, but the wings do not have a brown front margin. The wings are also spotted.

Am I right in thinking that it is a different member of the bombylius family, possibly bombylius discolor?

nutmeg · #2 (**permalink**) 11-04-2009, 11:24 AM

You're right that it's not B. major - it's probably B. discolor (I think they fly quite early in the year). I don't get them here, though, so not completely certain.

oxycera · #3 (**permalink**) 11-04-2009, 11:32 AM

that's discolor, only seen them in Cornwall many years ago

Geoff F · #4 (**permalink**) 11-04-2009, 06:48 PM

Saw one in my garden about this time last year. Apparently they are found in small numbers along the south coast. I think the main area for them is Hampshire.

Last year I did Google up some information about their location and numbers but not sure what I did with it. That info will probably still be somewhere on the internet.

Geoff F · #5 (**permalink**) 11-04-2009, 07:37 PM

ps. Try this link for Bombylius discolor information Dotted bee-fly - Bombylius discolor - Information - ARKive

SteveF48 · #6 (**permalink**) 08-04-2010, 01:55 PM

On Tuesday I saw a Bombylius major discolor, then today a Bombylius major and another discolor.

Sorry about the quality of the last photo, the subject moved every time I tried to focus on it.

tristanba · #7 (**permalink**) 08-04-2010, 04:04 PM

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?

tristanba · #8 (**permalink**) 08-04-2010, 04:05 PM

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?

SteveF48 · #9 (**permalink**) 09-04-2010, 06:37 PM

Well I live in Deal on the Kent coast, but if you came I couldn't guarantee that you'd see one.

SteveF48 · #10 (**permalink**) 10-04-2010, 02:32 PM

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

b) as above with white patches in the brown

c) Orange with very little brown

d) Brown abdomen with a line of white spots similar to B ater

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

f) Orange body with dark stripe on thorax

g) Orange and Brown with white stripe