Large Bee Fly

Natural Habitat

Gardens, woodland edges, and sunny meadows across the Northern Hemisphere

Diet & Feeding

Adults feed on flower nectar using a long proboscis; larvae are parasitoids of ground-nesting bees and wasps

Behavior Patterns

They are expert hoverers that mimic bees for protection. Females flick their eggs into the burrows of solitary bees where the larvae then feed on the host's offspring and pollen stores.

Risks & Benefits

Harmless to humans as they do not sting or bite despite their needle-like proboscis; they are beneficial pollinators for many early spring flowers.

Identified on: 6/17/2026