Insect Identification

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Insect Identification

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Penny Outskirts

Joined: 18 Sep 2005
Posts: 23385
Location: Planet, not on the....

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 07 7:46 pm Post subject: Insect Identification

Could someone help identify the flies we have in large numbers in the garden?

Gervase thought they might be horse flies, but I'm not so sure.

They are black and grey, similar size to Mason bees, and they do seem to buzz a bit. They live in little round holes in the ground that was once the lawn, but the turf has now been removed for vegetable beds.

There are loads and loads of them. I'll try and get a picture tomorrow, but googling hasn't been much help

Penny Outskirts

Joined: 18 Sep 2005
Posts: 23385
Location: Planet, not on the....

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 07 8:07 pm Post subject:
That's because I was googling for flies - they're bees, solitary bees Don't sting, just pollinate madly for 6-8 weeks then go away. Splendid!

jamanda
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35139
Location: Devon

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 07 8:12 pm Post subject:
Sound like useful things to have around.

Penny Outskirts

Joined: 18 Sep 2005
Posts: 23385
Location: Planet, not on the....

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 07 8:14 pm Post subject:
My Chooks (or girls, as they're also known, snigger), love to chase and eat them too, which is a bit of a shame.

jamanda
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35139
Location: Devon

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 07 8:17 pm Post subject:

Penny wrote:

My Chooks (or girls, as they're also known, *snigger*), love to chase and eat them too, which is a bit of a shame.

Our daft dog tries to catch bees too. But he's less intelligent than a chicken so never manages. I've seen loads of different types of bee the last couple of days, even a bright orange one today.

Stewy

Joined: 17 Oct 2005
Posts: 1453
Location: Berkshire

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 07 9:26 pm Post subject:
https://www.insectpix.net/

jamanda
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35139
Location: Devon

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 07 9:33 pm Post subject:
This one is quite good too. https://www.bumblebee.org/

Stewy

Joined: 17 Oct 2005
Posts: 1453
Location: Berkshire

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 07 9:58 pm Post subject:
And it's the start of Bumblebee Watch https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/tayside_and_central/6558973.stm https://www.bumblebeeconservationtrust.co.uk/

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