# Greater Bee Fly (*Bombylius major*) The Greater Bee Fly is a fuzzy little insect that looks like a bee! It loves to visit flowers and sip sweet nectar, helping plants grow while it feeds. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 9 - **Habitat:** Grasslands - **Also known as:** Bee Fly ![Greater Bee Fly](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Grosser_Wollschweber_Bombylius_major.jpg&width=800) Photo: Richard Bartz , Munich aka Makro Freak, CC BY-SA 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Grosser_Wollschweber_Bombylius_major.jpg) ## Appearance The Greater Bee Fly is a fuzzy, stout-bodied fly that strongly resembles a bumblebee with brown and yellowish hairs. It has a distinctive long, slender proboscis and clear wings with a prominent dark brown patch near the front edge. Its powerful flight allows it to hover gracefully. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Diptera - **Family:** Bombyliidae - **Genus:** Bombylius ## Interesting facts - Baby bee flies are carnivores and eat other insect larvae! - Despite looking like a bee, this fluffy insect cannot sting you! - It sometimes flies backwards, which is super rare for an insect! - They are great at pollinating many different types of wildflowers. ## Special abilities - **Hovering Master:** Greater Bee Flies can hover perfectly still in mid-air, like a tiny helicopter, that helps them precisely sip nectar from flowers. - **Disguise Artist:** This fly mimics furry bees to trick predators into thinking it can sting, which helps it stay safe while foraging. - **Long Snorkeler:** Greater Bee Flies have an extra-long proboscis (tongue) that helps them reach sweet nectar deep inside tubular flowers. - **Sneaky Nursery:** Female bee flies lay eggs near the nests of ground-nesting bees, where their larvae can secretly grow by eating the bee larvae. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 18-25 mm - **Size:** 10-14 mm - **Lifespan:** 20-30 days - **Flight Speed:** 15 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Adults drink sweet nectar from flowers, while their tiny larvae secretly snack on other insects. - **Age differences:** Adults feed on nectar and pollen; larvae are parasitoids, feeding on the larvae of solitary bees and wasps. - **Primary Foods:** Nectar, Pollen - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** [Wood Anemone](https://www.snappit.app/explore/wood-anemone) (*Anemone nemorosa*) — Adults visit flowers for nectar and pollen. - **Parasitizes:** Ashy Mining Bee (*Andrena scotica*) — Bee fly larvae feed on mining bee larvae in their nests. - **Parasitizes:** [Red Mason Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-mason-bee) (*Osmia bicornis*) — Larvae also develop by consuming mason bee larvae. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Bee flies are friendly and won't sting, but it's always good to watch them from a distance. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Greater Bee Fly? Look for six legs, antennae, three body sections and the shape of the wings. Beetles have hardened front wings; flies have just one working pair. Tiny insects may need a close view before their group is clear. Insect Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Greater Bee Fly's wingspan? 18-25 mm ### How big is Greater Bee Fly? 10-14 mm ### How long does Greater Bee Fly live? 20-30 days ### How fast can Greater Bee Fly fly? 15 km/h ### What does Greater Bee Fly eat? Adults drink sweet nectar from flowers, while their tiny larvae secretly snack on other insects. ### Where is Greater Bee Fly usually found? Grasslands ### How does Greater Bee Fly hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Buchanan State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/buchanan-state-forest) — Pennsylvania, US · Forest - [Cheraw Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cheraw-historic-district) — South Carolina, US · Historic District - [Conway-Robinson Memorial State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/conway-robinson-memorial-state-forest) — Virginia, US · Forest - [Cylburn Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cylburn-arboretum) — Maryland, US · Botanical Garden - [Gifford State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/gifford-state-forest) — Ohio, US · Forest - [Holden Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/holden-arboretum) — Ohio, US · Botanical Garden [View all places to see Greater Bee Fly](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/greater-bee-fly) ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Greater Bee Fly: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/greater-bee-fly)