Can someone help identify this bee/fly?

ManyQuestions · 28-09-2012 7:03pm #1

As the title states, looking for an ID.
Have heaps of these things around the garden. With kids about, I'd just like to know what they are.

thanks!

bbam · 28-09-2012 7:07pm

Honey Bee??

ManyQuestions · 28-09-2012 7:11pm

Looks similar enough.
I didnt think it was a bee as the abdomen is quite narrow, but again similar to the link you posted.

Thought they were in huge decline. No shortage in my garden. My rocket has gone to seed, the flowers are full of em!
Good to see I guess.

iverjohnston · 29-09-2012 12:06am

A hover fly of some kind. There are dozens of different varieties. Michael Viney had an article in the Times saturday weekend suppliment about 3 weeks ago about them. Iver in Cavan

marizpan · 29-09-2012 9:22am

Looks like a drone honeybee to me. But hard to know without an idea of scale

ManyQuestions · 29-09-2012 12:17pm

Size of a €2 coin, in length.

Hedgemeister · 29-09-2012 12:22pm

'Tis a Warble Fly, the kind that drive cattle mad. They lay their eggs in an animal's back and while it hatches it causes a huge lump on a cow's back. Eventually, a giant worm-like maggot emerges.
Never heard of them attacking humans though.

greysides · 29-09-2012 8:58pm

Horsefly, just not the common variety.

greysides · 29-09-2012 9:00pm

Warble fly

ManyQuestions · 30-09-2012 10:25pm

Thanks for the info greysides, but it doesnt look as stumpy as that. Also, the badomen looks thin from the side profile. I'm not saying its not that, as I know F all about them, but just doesnt look like the ones i see.

Also, not attacking me, just theres lots of them about, was wondering if they are a bee and if its a sign of a hive nearby.

bbam · 01-10-2012 8:12am

greysides wrote: »

Warble fly

My god... even for an insect he's an ugly flucker :eek:

Manoffeeling · 01-10-2012 8:56am

Are you near woodland? Is it a timber wasp that I hear lads talking about?

greysides · 03-10-2012 3:58pm

ManyQuestions wrote: »

Thanks for the info greysides, but it doesnt look as stumpy as that. Also, the badomen looks thin from the side profile. I'm not saying its not that, as I know F all about them, but just doesnt look like the ones i see.

Just checking you did see the first picture?

The Horsefly in it has a thin abdomen as I've seen that one myself.

The experts would use the venation of the wings (the pattern) to identify the insect/species.

rs8 · 03-10-2012 7:08pm

there nice on toast

Can someone help identify this bee/fly?

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