Dark-edged Bee-Fly

[bugmeister]

or Bombylius Major if you prefer. As far as I have been able to find out it's the only one of these bee-mimics (9 species in the UK apparently) that has the distinct dark front edge to the wings.

 

They don't often settle and even more rarely do they let you get close so I was quite pleased with these two, both handheld. Unfortunately the background is a pile of last years reeds piled up and left to dry which doesn't help the picture although the critters seemed to be sunning themselves on it.

 

Canon EOS 5D mkII, Sigma 105mm f2.8, Canon MR14 @ f11 @ 1/200s

Canon EOS 5D mkII, Canon MPE65, Canon MR14 @ f10 @ 1/500s

 

[FUJI]

A really good looking insect ........the first shot is the best.

FUJI

[JohnP]

Nicely captured... I too prefer No1.

[David]

No. 1 is the pick of the pair, but I like no. 2 as well...its got a certain character to it - almost comical (the fly not the photograph!)

[Paul]

Lovely stuff. Not often seen in my area - but they are here somewhere.

 

Paul.

[David]

P.S. I much prefer Bombylius Major - what a cool name!...Sounds like an eccentric old military man haha  

[NannyFerret]

Good pics, Bugs, and it's really interesting to learn about the different insects from you and other members.

[David]

OOOOH! Could I pick your bug-brain please bugs?

 

I saw this on a buddleia last year and haven't been able to identify it. Not a great photo by any means, but is this also a type of bee-fly?:

 

[bugmeister]

It's a type of hoverfly, volucella pellucens

[David]

Thanks it's been bugging me (excuse the pun!) since I saw it

[annie]

Wow bugs, great pics of the very same thing I had in the garden the other day, was not able to get a picture though. I had never seen one before and it scared the life out of me with that long pointy thing....