There seems to be many colour forms of this fly, I think mine may be that but would like to be certain. I hope it's not, as the larvae eat Narcissus bulbs!
http://davesgarden.com/bf/go/2436/
http://www.david.element.ukgateway.net/flies18hoverflies12.htm
http://aolsearch.aol.co.uk/aol/image?invocationType=topsearchbox.imagehome&query=Merodon+equestris
Thanks!
It looks from those sites, as if there is a sex difference in the colour of these flies. Yours looks a pretty close match and judging by this picture: http://davesgarden.com/bf/showimage/3480/
yours would be the female!
Ken
I think there is a sex difference too, there was another one and they kept nosing up to each other! It was difficult getting them together though they moved fast!
I had cropped this pic down before I saw the other one, I thought I had missed it but it's at the bottom over the NW edge of the aquilegia leaf. The top looks similar but the tail end looks narrow and not so hairy or light in colour.
Looking at the other pic in BF, it is said the colour is due to age and not sex.
http://davesgarden.com/bf/showimage/3479/
The hairy one is also on top!
Wallaby, I am very sad you have this monster in your garden....each female lays about 40 eggs a year and I think a high percentage of the eggs hatch to larvae. They can really wreak havoc on daffodil bulbs.
Suzy
One would never guess such a fuzzy looking thing, mimicking a bumble bee would do any harm!
They may have been around before, so many look similar and we tend to think of them as different types of bumble bee, I have so many things buzzing around! Last year I saw a huge increase in insects as it was a very hot year.
It's really only because of Bug Files I have taken the steps to ID them, perhaps ignorance is bliss in some cases!
Maybe one of the other buzzy insects which eat insects will have them for dinner! I have a few of those around too!
Let us hope! I have one of your Narcissus photos as my background picture on the computer. It was taken at night, just beautiful. Between you and bonitin I never have look far for a great picture.
Fortissimo! Glad you liked it!
