Please help id this bee/fly with long straight 'sting' at front?

[mrscollett]

Hi everyone,

I am hoping that someone can help me, yesterday and today I have spotted a pair of bees (they look a bit like bees, with orange on their bodies). However they are a little unusual in that they have a very long, straight sting (I assume it's a sting but could be wrong, I don't know much about insects!) at the front of their faces.

Sorry I'm not explaining this very well, their overall shape is triangular, with the head being at one point of the triangle and the wings forming the rest of the shape.

They are the size of a small bee, much larger than a house fly. They hover and fly 'sideways'. The most striking feature is the very long straight spike at the front.

I will try and get a photo of them when I next spot them, in the meantime can someone id them from my pitiful description?

Edited to add: their bodies seem furry like bees!

Many thanks,

Jo

[oxycera]

A bee-fly (as opposed to a bee/fly)

[mrscollett]

I meant bee or fly (as in I don't know which it is!) lol

[oxycera]

I know what you meant! It's a bee-fly (Bombylius major)

[mrscollett]

Oh! lol sorry! I was confused by your post (I'm easily confused!)

Right, I'm off to look up bee-flies now

Thank you x

[mrscollett]

I've checked out some photos and yes, you were spot on! I had never seen one before.

Thank you m again, I'm impressed by how quickly you provided the answer

[Geoff F]

And the 'sting' is a feeding tube; they are harmless.

[Jason Green]

Morning Colette,

What an apt name these bees have. Each year we have identification requests for these species with new members describing them as like a 'Bee or fly', when the common name for these is Bee-fly!

They are closer-related to Houseflies than Bees though, as they posess two wings as opposed to two pairs like Bumblebees.

Take care,

Jason

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by Jason Green

Morning Colette,

What an apt name these bees have. Each year we have identification requests for these species with new members describing them as like a 'Bee or fly', when the common name for these is Bee-fly!

They are closer-related to Houseflies than Bees though, as they posess two wings as opposed to two pairs like Bumblebees.

Take care,

Jason

You mean what an apt name these FLIES have! Senior moment Jason!

[Jason Green]

Originally Posted by aeshna5

You mean what an apt name these FLIES have! Senior moment Jason!

These bees have = these bee-flies have! Oops... it was the keyboard, the characters '-flie' obviously didn't work... yes, senior moment - at 25!