It's a Bee! It's a...Fly? It's both those things!
While flies aren't really my cup of tea, I'm thankful for any insects I find after a long winter like this year's. So while this isn't so satisfying during midsummer... Epalpus signifer , "a sure sign of Spring," according to a friend. ...when we're on the cusp of Spring, I'll take it. Another early season fly I've come across is a species of fly in the family Bombyliidae, better known as the bee flies. It's a fuzzy yellow species that looks like a bee wearing a fur coat at first glance. A glance is all you'll get, because the little bugger is fast. My best photo from last year. Getting some nectar or pollen from a flower. Today, however, it wasn't fast enough to escape my net. On the third try, at least. There were many hovering near the ground in a field at the Beiser Field Station, so I snagged one and took it home. At last--an identifiable picture: the Greater Bee Fly, Bombylius major . After cooling it down in the fridge, it held ...