What is this insect; similar to fly or bee?

8 years ago

I'm not terribly concerned about it, but I wonder what it is. I thought it was a bee at first because it appears to be collecting nectar/pollen from parsley flowers. This is the only one I've noticed.

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gyr_falcon

8 years ago

I have to rush off and don't have time to check, but look into female plain-faced dronefly (Eristalis arbustorum). I'm not sure their range, but that is what your insect resembles.

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Comments (6)

Kelly K
8 years ago
Hi, it looks a bit like a carpenter bee, but if that were the case you’d see it flying in and out of small holes that it has bored into wood such as a fence or siding. I have carpenter bees in our yard and they’re truly a nuisance.
Lars thanked Kelly K
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Lars
Original Author
8 years ago
It does look like this picture, but that is from Europe. It appears to be common in Britain, but what is it doing here? Is it harmful? I don't have carpenter bees, as far as I know - I certainly have not seen any holes in wood to indicate that, and I've not seen them flying around.
gyr_falcon
8 years ago
No, I'm not an entomologist and was rushed and just grabbed the wrong species name. They are bee mimics and not harmful as far as I know. We do have carpenter bees in SoCal. I believe this is a photo of Xylocopa varipuncta in my garden. It more resembled a bumblebee in heft, but I don't know if all do.
Lars thanked gyr_falcon
gyr_falcon
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Ok, the abdomen shape got me thinking. How about something in Villa flies?

ETA: https://www.inaturalist.org/guide_taxa/397547
Lars
Original Author
8 years ago
This is a different insect, but I do believe that what I photographed is Eristalis arbustorum, as you first mentioned. Although it is native to Europe, it has been introduced into this country, although mostly found in the east. Here are a couple more photographs of it, this time on my giant bromeliad, trying to get nectar:
On the previous day, I could see pollen collected on its legs, but these flowers are not open enough to have pollen exposed yet. When they do open, the hummingbird go to them also.