# Villa The Villa is a small insect that loves to buzz around flowers. It helps plants grow by spreading pollen and is often seen in gardens during sunny days. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Gardens ![Villa](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Villa_hottentotta_female.jpg&width=800) Photo: Siga, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Villa_hottentotta_female.jpg) ## Appearance The Villa is a furry insect, often resembling a bee with its stout, hairy body. It typically has distinctive dark markings or patterns on its wings. These flies frequently display varied colors, including shades of brown, yellow, and black, making them visually striking. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Diptera - **Family:** Bombyliidae - **Genus:** Villa ## Interesting facts - Baby Villas are secret agents, sneaking into other insect nests to grow strong! - Some Villas are master disguise artists, looking just like scary wasps to trick predators! - Their wings beat so fast, they sometimes look like a blurry shimmer when they fly! - They drink nectar like tiny hummingbirds, hovering perfectly in front of flowers! ## Special abilities - **Hovering Master:** Villa can hover perfectly still in mid-air because of its rapid wing beats that help them precisely approach flowers. - **Deep Nectar Sipper:** Villa has a long, slender proboscis that helps them reach nectar deep inside flowers, avoiding messy pollen. - **Disguise Artist:** Villa can mimic bees or wasps in appearance, which helps them avoid predators who think they are dangerous. - **Secret Agent Larvae:** Villa larvae can parasitize other insect larvae, helping control pest populations by consuming them secretly. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 7-40 mm - **Size:** 5-20 mm - **Lifespan:** 14-30 days - **Flight Speed:** 15 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Adult Villas sip nectar, while their larvae secretly eat other insects. - **Age differences:** Adults feed on nectar and pollen, while larvae are parasitic on other insect larvae, consuming them. - **Primary Foods:** nectar, pollen - **Foraging Method:** Null ## Ecological connections - **Parasitizes:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Villa larvae are known to parasitize the larvae of honey bees. - **Eaten by:** [House Sparrow](https://www.snappit.app/explore/house-sparrow) (*Passer domesticus*) — Adult Villa flies can be a food source for small birds like sparrows. - **Pollinates:** [Common Dandelion](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-dandelion) (*Taraxacum officinale*) — Adult Villa flies help pollinate various wildflowers, including dandelions. - **Parasitizes:** Buff-tailed Bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — Villa larvae can develop as parasites inside the nests of bumblebees. ## Traits - [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. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [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. - [Miniature](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/miniature): Pertaining to species that are significantly smaller than typical or average for their kind. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. - [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 Don't try to catch insects; just watch them from a distance! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Villa? 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 Villa's wingspan? 7-40 mm ### How big is Villa? 5-20 mm ### How long does Villa live? 14-30 days ### How fast can Villa fly? 15 km/h ### What does Villa eat? Adult Villas sip nectar, while their larvae secretly eat other insects. ### Where is Villa usually found? Gardens ### How does Villa hunt? Null ## Where to spot - [Aalborg Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/aalborg-zoo) — North Denmark Region, DK · Zoo - [Busch Gardens Williamsburg](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/busch-gardens-williamsburg) — Virginia, US · Zoo - [Naturschutz-Tierpark Görlitz](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/naturschutz-tierpark-g-rlitz) — Saxony, DE · Zoo - [Silver Springs](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/silver-springs-florida) — Florida, US · Zoo - [Warszawski Ogród Zoologiczny](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/warszawski-ogr-d-zoologiczny) — Masovian Voivodeship, PL · Zoo [View all places to see Villa](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/villa) ## 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: [Villa: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/villa)