More Unusual Insects: Bee Fly

[exchemist]

Looking through my photos I found this curiosity from a couple of years ago:



Looks like a large bumble bee with proboscis extended, but the wings are held out from the body when resting and there is only one pair, i.e. diptera, so a fly, not a bee. These things come out in March. Apparently they are cuckoo-like parasites of bumble bee nests, in which they lay their eggs. These hatch into larvae that eat the bee larvae, then pupate and emerge as weirdo fake bees.

 

[Pinball1970]

Looking through my photos I found this curiosity from a couple of years ago:

View attachment 7483

Looks like a large bumble bee with proboscis extended, but the wings are held out from the body when resting and there is only one pair, i.e. diptera, so a fly, not a bee. These things come out in March. Apparently they are cuckoo-like parasites of bumble bee nests, in which they lay their eggs. These hatch into larvae that eat the bee larvae, then pupate and emerge as weirdo fake bees.

That is horrible.

I have Melissaphobia

 

[exchemist]

That is horrible.

I have Melissaphobia

Relax! It's a fly. Not a bee.

 

[Pinball1970]

Relax! It's a fly. Not a bee.

I also have Spheksophobia.

The abomination you posted looked like a cross between a bat, a bee and a fly.

 

[geordief]

Not coming round yours for tea and scones then.

 

[exchemist]

Not coming round yours for tea and scones then.

…and especially not Garibaldi biscuits, presumably….

 

[geordief]

…and especially not Garibaldi biscuits, presumably….

You can leave them outside at the gate and I will send someone over.

 

[candy]

You could try spraying a solution of peppermint oil in white vinegar as a repellent.

 

[exchemist]

You could try spraying a solution of peppermint oil in white vinegar as a repellent.

Er, to repel what? The thread is about a bee fly. These are quite rare and don’t come into dwellings. There is no need to repel them, or not so far as I know.

Or do you mean to repel geordief ,so I don’t have to invest in scones or Garibaldi biscuits to feed him?

But either way, the smell of the concoction you propose must be pretty awful. I’m not sure I would want to apply that anywhere near the house.

 

[Pinball1970]

You could try spraying a solution of peppermint oil in white vinegar as a repellent.

Or something with a little more grunt like concentrated caustic, methyl hydrazine, ricin, vx, just off the top of my head.

I probably need to start a thread "why wasps and bees ruined my summer, love life, social life and peace of mind."

Cathartic.

Mosquitos need to be eliminated from the planet and I have strong scientific arguments why that is a good idea
With Wasps and Bees, it's fucking personal man.

 

[Pinball1970]

The thread is about a bee fly

Oh like everyone stuck closely to the Artemis theme? The North remembers!

 

[geordief]

Er, to repel what? The thread is about a bee fly. These are quite rare and don’t come into dwellings. There is no need to repel them, or not so far as I know.

Or do you mean to repel geordief ,so I don’t have to invest in scones or Garibaldi biscuits to feed him?

But either way, the smell of the concoction you propose must be pretty awful. I’m not sure I would want to apply that anywhere near the house.

Garibaldi biscuits in a drizzle of white wine vinegar and an aroma of peppermint oil sounds lovely.I may change my mind.

 

[candy]

My bad.
I was thinking of the wasp.

 

[exchemist]

My bad.
I was thinking of the wasp.

Oh I see. But again these were individual queens that had just woken up from hibernating, undetected, in my house for the winter. I'm now waiting for the 3rd one to appear. Actually the 4th: there was one back in Feb now that I think of it. Plenty of insect life in this part of South London, evidently.

I've no doubt your concoction might have dealt with the "Heathrow" situation in my back garden that I described later on in the thread, but I rather think the smell would have put me off my lunch.

 

[TheVat]

Mosquitos need to be eliminated from the planet and I have strong scientific arguments why that is a good idea

Hey, it's just the girls. Male mosquitoes eat only plant nectar and have various roles in the ecosystem including some pollination. Bros before hos!

As for your blatant anti-apianism, I'm going to have to report this to... whatever authorities handle such matters. The Tupelo Honey council, perhaps.

 

[TheVat]

Garibaldi biscuits in a drizzle of white wine vinegar and an aroma of peppermint oil sounds lovely.I may change my mind.

My sentiments as well. Might be worth trying the vinegar/peppermint blend as a cologne, too.

exchemist: Plenty of insect life in this part of South London, evidently.

I had heard WASPs were once predominant there.

 

[exchemist]

My sentiments as well. Might be worth trying the vinegar/peppermint blend as a cologne, too.


Who

I had heard WASPs were once predominant there.

Well the in-sect in the late c.18th and early 19th was the “Clapham Sect”, which was based around Holy Trinity church on Clapham Common. Its luminaries included Wilberforce the slave trade abolitionist, and other social reformers. The rector of the church at the time was a man called Venn. I visit Venn St. Market most Saturdays.

 

[Pinball1970]

Some dead bees on the walk back home tonight. (Fearful as I maybe I am not happy about it)
We just never saw it in the 1970s, many more of them and they stayed around longer.

 

[Sarkus]

I have Melissaphobia

Caused by an ex-girlfriend??
Melissophobia is the fear of bees.

As for your dead bees, there's been some changes in weather, heavy rains, etc. That tends to kill off a few bees. Plus the workers only live 6-8 weeks, so if they came alive start of May, they'd be dropping like... um... flies? around now. Or maybe there's just a nest nearby?

 

[Pinball1970]

Caused by an ex-girlfriend??
Melissophobia is the fear of bees.

As for your dead bees, there's been some changes in weather, heavy rains, etc. That tends to kill off a few bees. Plus the workers only live 6-8 weeks, so if they came alive start of May, they'd be dropping like... um... flies? around now. Or maybe there's just a nest nearby?

Ok noted, I've never been out with a Melissa either. There is another one, Apis...? One Latin one Greek I think.