CLOSED: Is this a bee fly?

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REBLOOMER Cary, NC(Zone 7b) May 15, 2009

I found this on my coreopsis, acting and flying like a bee, but it had a large unsegmented body, long legs, yellow, furry, and two wings. I've never seen this before. Hope you can make it out in the photo. I only had my camera phone at the time.

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missingrosie Hillsborough, NC(Zone 7b) May 15, 2009

I don't know what it is --I have thought it was a moth. BUT my husband called me outside one day and excitedly exclaimed that we had baby hummingbirds and I should come look before they flew away!

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suunto Sinks Grove, WV May 15, 2009

This is indeed a bee fly (Diptera: Bombyliidae) - their appearance can vary widely, but all appear to be parasitoids on the larvae of solitary bees see http://tinyurl.com/q8kozg for much more information on this large and fascinating family.

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jdarmstrong Loveland, OH May 22, 2009

that looks like a hummingbird moth we see them around our flower beds they like the petunias it is also known as a hawk moth this was a controversy in my house for a couple of years ( bird ?? bug ?? )untill my son caught one last year and we looked it up on the net . It is a beautifull creature


This message was edited May 22, 2009 1:05 PM

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suunto Sinks Grove, WV May 22, 2009

Again, this is a bee fly. Even the smallest hummingbird moth (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) would be much larger than this specimen, as well as having a different appearance in flight - see http://tinyurl.com/65fz46

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