greater bee fly (Bombylius major) at Lake Meyer Park IA 653A1348
This greater bee fly just emerged from a pupa that had overwintered underground. Adults like this one stick that long black tube called a proboscis into flowers to suck out nectar and pollen. This bee fly looks like a bumble bee but cannot sting and the resemblance is meant to fool potential predators. Females will now be searching for mining bee nests and they flick eggs from the end of their abdomen down into the mining bee's nest hole - just like a game of bean bag toss. Upon hatching, the bee fly larvae crawl around and eat the mining bee larvae down in the nest burrow. The larvae pupate by midsummer and stay dormant until today. Notice the distinctive wing design on this greater bee fly that only flies now in springtime. The wildflower here is cut-leaved toothwort that has a delicious spicy little tuber with a taste very similar to horseradish.
greater bee fly (Bombylius major) at Lake Meyer Park IA 653A1348
This greater bee fly just emerged from a pupa that had overwintered underground. Adults like this one stick that long black tube called a proboscis into flowers to suck out nectar and pollen. This bee fly looks like a bumble bee but cannot sting and the resemblance is meant to fool potential predators. Females will now be searching for mining bee nests and they flick eggs from the end of their abdomen down into the mining bee's nest hole - just like a game of bean bag toss. Upon hatching, the bee fly larvae crawl around and eat the mining bee larvae down in the nest burrow. The larvae pupate by midsummer and stay dormant until today. Notice the distinctive wing design on this greater bee fly that only flies now in springtime. The wildflower here is cut-leaved toothwort that has a delicious spicy little tuber with a taste very similar to horseradish.