Greater Bee Fly (Bombylius major) feeding

Greater Bee Fly (Bombylius major) feeding

Description

Title:
Greater Bee Fly (Bombylius major) feeding
Caption / Description:

A Greater Bee Fly (Bombylius major) feeds on a Grape Hyacinth flower. Typically the bee fly will hover while feeding, supporting itself by holding onto the flower loosely with its legs.

The large bee fly, Bombylius major, is a bee mimic. The eggs are flicked by the adult female toward the entrance of the underground nests of solitary bees and wasps. After hatching, the larvae find their way into the nests to feed on the grubs.

The adult is 14 to 18 mm in length, squat and very hairy, with a wingspan of around 24 mm. It has dark patches on the anterior half of the wings and long hairy legs that dangle while in flight. Bee flies are expert flyers, and their hovering habit has led to their being incorrectly called a species of hoverfly (Syrphidae). The very long proboscis is used to feed on the nectar of many species of flower, especially primroses.

Bombylius major can be found in April to June throughout temperate Europe and North America and some parts of Asia.

Description from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombylius_major

Tags / Keywords:
  • Biota
  • Life
  • Vitae
  • Eukaryota
  • Animalia
  • Animals
  • Arthropoda
  • Arthropods
  • Insecta
  • Insects
  • Diptera
  • Flies
  • Bombyliidae
  • Bee flies
  • Bombylius
  • Bombylius major
  • Greater Bee Fly

Admin

Date Original Photo Taken:
Original File Name:
_MG_2730.CR2
Event:
Rating:
Date this image added/last updated on website:
Original File Dimensions:
4272px x 2848px
File Type:
JPEG
Color Mode:
Original Image Color Profile:
Adobe RGB (1998)

Location

Location Created:
Sublocation:
City:
Market Harborough
Province/State:
Leicestershire
Country:
United Kingdom
World Region:
Europe
Geo-location:

Rights

Copyright Status:
Copyrighted
Licensing Status:
Rights Managed
Available for Editorial Use:
Yes
Available for Commercial Use:
Yes
Copyright Notice:
© 2012 Dave Kennard

Camera Data

Date Digital Resource was created:
Shutter speed:
1160 s
Aperture:
f/5.6
Camera Model:
Canon EOS 450D
ISO:
200
Exposure Compensation:
0
Focal Length:
100mm
Focal Length (35mm equiv.):
Metering Mode:
Multi-segment
Flash:
On, Fired
Exposure Mode:
Manual
White Balance:
Manual
Light Source:
Exposure Program:
Manual

Additional shooting metadata

Lens:
Canon EF 100mm F2.8 Macro USM
Filters used:
Additional Optics used:
Setup:
Handheld
Canon MT-24EX Macro Twin Flash

Post Processing

Image Modified:
Software used:
  • Adobe Camera RAW
Post Processing:

-0.45 exposure compensation in ACR
15 recovery in ACR