Dotted bee fly in the afternoon sunshine. Mickleton, N Cotswolds, garden. 21/3/26 #BeeFlyWatch #diptera #bombyliusdiscolor @uk-soldierflies.bsky.social @flygirlnhm.bsky.social

Finally got a photo of Dotted Bee Fly feeding on flower.
#Bombyliusdiscolor
#DottedBeeFly
#Insects
#InsectMacro
#NaturePhotography

A Dark-edged Bee-fly feeding from the blossom of a blackthorn hedge. This is a medium sized fly, covered with yellowy-brown hair. It has spindly legs, and a long, straight proboscis. Its wings have dark markings along their leading edges. Females lay their eggs in the nests of mining bees.

A Dotted Bee-fly feeding from a pink pulmonaria flower. This is a medium sized fly, a little bigger than a Dark-edged Bee-fly, with chestnut hair over most of its thorax and abdomen, and a black abdominal apex. It has spindly legs, and a long, straight proboscis. Its wings have a dark fore edge, and are marked with black spots. Females lay their eggs in the nests of mining bees.

Blossom time:
www.blipfoto.com/entry/335459...

#insects #invertebrates #DarkEdgedBeeFly #BombyliusMajor #DottedBeeFly #BombyliusDiscolor #BeeFlyWatch #GardenWildlife #UKWildlife #NaturePhotography #NatureWriting #MacroPhotography #StingsNWings #SmallWonders #InsectThursday

Female dotted bee fly - eyes are further apart, body chestnut brown. Very pink Hyacinth

Male dotted bee fly has eyes closer together. Both fly around with proboscis stuck out. Here enjoying grape hyacinth

Dotted bee fly alert 😍-looks like there will be babies too. Sorry Yellow legged and Ashy mining bees - looks like you will be hosting some cuckoo’s. N Cotswold garden, 31/3/25. #bombyliusdiscolor #beeflywatch @dipteristsforum.bsky.social

Dotted Bee-fly,Bombylius discolor - so please to see my first of the year (not sure if male or female.) In our garden. We get both hosts of ashy mining bee and yellow legged mining bee, which I have see about too. N Cotswolds, 29/03/25 #beeflywatch #bombyliusdiscolor