If you spend time near a sunny verge covered in primroses, you may well notice a fascinating insect called the bee-fly.
There are actually a few species, with the dark-edged, or greater, bee-fly being most common in the UK. Perhaps the first thing you’ll notice is the enormous mosquito-like proboscis that sticks way out in front of its face. Then you may be struck by how much its rotund, furry body looks like a bee. And, in fact, its wings buzz loudly like a bee too.
- British insect guide: species to look out for, and why they're so interesting
- Key insect pollinators of spring
This is no coincidence because the bee-fly is an expert bee mimic. Its disguise enables it to approach the nest tunnels of various digging and mining bees, such as ashy mining bees, so it can flick its eggs inside. When its parasitic maggots hatch, they will suck the life out of the hapless bee grubs. Gruesome stuff.
In the meantime, the adult bee-flies are entertaining to watch as they dart between primroses, lungwort and other spring-flowering plants with tube-shaped blooms. Their impressive proboscis is adapted to reach the nectar at the bottom.
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