I saw something unusual on my short daily walk. I was trying to photograph a couple of violets growing in the grass when an insect I have never seen before alighted on the ground. To be honest, I didn’t really pay much attention because I was focussing on the flowers. When I looked at the shot later, I could see that it was big and furry with long thin legs and a straight proboscis seeking nectar from the violets – but it wasn’t a bee of any kind, nor a moth. It was a Dotted Bee-Fly (Bombylius discolor). Apparently there are a lot around at the moment. It has a nasty side as the larva is parasitic on other insects, especially on solitary bees and wasps.
Some more information from the Natural History Museum
Jessica's Nature Blog 
There is a national scheme called Bee-Fly Watch where you can log your sightings. This gives valuable information about emergence times in different parts of the country and also may reveal the gradual spread northwards of the species. You can find it here.
https://www.brc.ac.uk/soldierflies-and-allies/bee-fly-watch
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I love the element of serendipity here, even if the subject has his unsavory side!
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Thank you, Apuldor. I am grateful for the new link to the scheme. There is also link to the survey on the post under ‘more information’.
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Hi, Claudia. Its funny how often that happens. You focus on one thing, and when look at the photo later, make new discoveries.
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