Bee Flies Missouri Department of Conservation

$ 19.99

4.8 (624) In stock

Bee flies are a fairly large family of true flies; they are not bees and they do not sting or bite. Most resemble pudgy, fuzzy bees, while others look like strangely fuzzy mosquitoes, having a long proboscis (straw-like mouth tube, with which bee flies suck fluids such as nectar from flowers). Bee flies' habit of hovering also makes them look beelike. Like other flies that are bee mimics, bee flies can be identified as flies by their single (not double) pair of wings, their very short antennae, their softer bodies, and their large, compound, "fly" eyes that often nearly touch. They are hairy, usually stout-bodied, often brightly colored, with many resembling bees or wasps, though many species are dark or speckled. The wings usually have dark markings. At rest, the wings are typically held out to the side at about 45 degrees, forming a triangular shape. The legs are slender. Mouthparts vary; some are short and broad-tipped; other species have a long tubelike proboscis. Similar species: There are many groups of true flies (such as the syrphid family), that are bee or wasp mimics, and several other insects, including moths and beetles, look like bees, too. Also, there are many species of actual bees and wasps, as well!