Head to head
Bee-fly vs Hover Fly
Bee-fly
VS Hover Fly
The bee-fly and hover flies are two groups of harmless flies that mimic stinging insects and hover motionless at flowers.
| Bee-fly | Hover Fly | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Bombylius major | Syrphidae (a family of several thousand species) |
| Mimicry | A furry, golden-brown body that looks like a small bumblebee | A black-and-yellow warning pattern that closely resembles bees and wasps, a case of Batesian mimicry |
| Wings | One pair of wings with a dark leading edge, held out to the sides at rest | Only two functional wings, unlike the four wings of the bees and wasps it resembles |
| Hovering | Hovers like a hummingbird, flicking its legs out to steady itself, with a long rigid snout held out in front | Can hang almost perfectly motionless in mid-air for extended periods |
| Larvae | Parasitise the nests of mining bees, eating the bee grubs and their food stores | Many feed voraciously on aphids and other soft-bodied insects, providing natural pest control |
| Role | An early-spring nectar feeder on primroses, violets, and dead-nettles | An important pollinator for numerous flowering plants, feeding on nectar and pollen |
| Range | Gardens, meadows, and woodland edges across Europe, North Africa, and temperate Asia, and in parts of North America | Grassland and forest across nearly every region of the world |
| Conservation status | Not Evaluated globally, though widespread and common | Least Concern |
Bee-fly vs Hover Fly: common questions
Which fly has parasitic larvae?
The bee-fly, whose larvae enter mining bee nests and eat the bee grubs and their food stores.
Which fly's larvae eat aphids?
Many hover fly larvae feed on aphids and other soft-bodied insects, making them valuable pest controllers in gardens.
How can you tell a fly from a bee or wasp?
Flies have only two functional wings, while bees and wasps have four.