Bee fly (hoverfly mimic)

Sunny flower-rich habitats, woodland edges, meadows, gardens, and forest clearings across much of the Northern Hemisphere.

Adults drink nectar and consume pollen, often hovering at flowers. Larvae are parasitoids or predators of solitary bee and wasp larvae and their provisions.

Adults hover conspicuously and rest on vegetation with wings extended; their dense hair and long proboscis mimic bees. Females scatter eggs near solitary-bee nests, and larvae develop inside those nests.

They do not sting and are harmless to people. Adults are important pollinators, while larvae naturally regulate solitary-bee populations.