Is it a bee? Is it a fly? It is a Greater Bee Fly (Bombylius major), a parasitic bee mimic that is one of the earliest spring pollinators of wildflowers. I photographed this bee fly as it was feeding on the nectar of a Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica) on Monday at Prince William Forest Park.
I was quite happy to be able to capture so many of the details of this curious creature, including its long proboscis, spindly legs, patterned wings, and fuzzy body. In case you are curious, the body of one of these bee flies is about six-tenths of an inch (15mm) in length and its wing span is about one inch (25mm). I recommend that you double-click on the image to get a better looks at the little details of this bee fly.
If you would like to learn more about these fascinating little bee flies, including their parasitic behavior, check out the article on the US Forest Service website by Beatriz Moisset entitled “A Pollinator with a Bad Reputation.”
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Your first two questions led me to wonder whether it’s better to see a bee fly fly or just to see a bee fly be.
My mind is spinning out of control, Steve, as I contemplate your Zen-like question.
Speaking of Zen, žena is the Czech word for woman. Maybe Xena: the Warrior Princess should have been Žena: the Warrior Princess. But this is getting pretty far from your picture, so I’d better let things bee.
Absolutely fascinating creature, Mike, and one I have never heard of. I do think I have seen them around, but never looked closely into it. Your photo delightfully introduced me, and is truly exquisite, capturing the fly-like wings on the body of what looks like a bee. Then I looked closer and my eyes almost popped out when I realized you captured it extending its long proboscis! I enjoyed the link and info. I knew about parasitic birds, but never bees. Thanks for this enchanting introduction, my friend.
Thanks, Jet. I did a posting once in which I characterized the bee-fly as a Frankenstein-like creation and you described so well the mishmash of body parts. There are lots of rather vicious insects that will paralyze prey and then lay their eggs in the victim’s body. When the eggs hatch, they have a ready source of food. In the case of the bee flies, they drop their eggs in the burrows of ground bees where the bees have placed pollen along with their own eggs. The bee fly larvae eat the stored pollen and then eat the bee larvae. Yikes.
That close up is spectacular! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Thanks. I love using my macro lens which lets me capture come awesome close-up details.
😎
I agree Mike: yikes.
Great details in this image Mike. Very hairy body and its proboscis is incredibly long!
Thanks, Chris. It was nice to dust off my long macro lens after not using it at all during the winter. The proboscis is amazingly long–it seems almost as long as the rest of the bee fly’s body.
Let us fly said the bee. I just want to be said the fly. So they turned into a bee fly. They are funny looking critters, so round and furry. I guess it must be spring down there, you lucky photographer. 🙂
We definitely have warmed up and lots of things are in bloom. It got as high as 83 one day last week, but that was a bit of an anomaly. You know it is spring when you see me posting photos of insects, Steve. 🙂
Indeed. I am envious and waiting my turn, Mike. 🙂
Wow! Very cool! Love that wildflower too. 😍
Thanks, Laura. Most people find creatures like the bee fly to be cool, though some view them as creepy.