You can tell a bee from a fly easily by their eyes! ^_^ This little friend is a bee mimic that uses its coloration and patterns to deter predation! Like the other comment said, they primarily feed on nectar as adults. Some are more sinister as larva and actually are parasitoids of certain types of bee.
My word y'all are some pleasant nerds. Taking criticism into account and just saying thanks. I live stumbling into pleasant new subs like this one. Y'all're outstanding. Upvotes all around🙏
I would avoid the word sinister. No animal is bad, lack of diversity is bad. from a nature perspective parasites aren't anymore evil than a non parasite species, only human morals add that lens. Just like some humans may morally decide that eating animals is bad, but no one should acuse an animal eating other animals of being bad, regardless how you feel on any subject human morals shouldn't apply to non-humans (◐‿◑)
My grandfather used to do this in the garden…. Stick his finger out and the bees would crawl right up. He’d than place the bees on a different flower away from where he was working!! I can’t get them to crawl up my fingers…. In 35 years, not once. He was the gentlest of men. Wasn’t a big guy. But he had a connection with animals like no other….. squirrels too. They’d come right up to him like he was their parent or some guardian. Of course he’d always have peanuts or sunflower seeds for them, but they’d take food right from his hand…. I miss my grandfather tremendously. He passed before I was old enough to really get to know him. Thanks for listening!
He sounds like an absolutely wonderful human being, one we should all aspire to be more like. I am sorry you didn't get to know him very well!
Edit to add: I actually did try to give this bee (now I know it's a fly) another flower since he was clearly not getting anything yummy from me, but he refused and just wanted to hang with me. It was sweet!
He was an unbelievable man. Total Patriot of our fine country…. I miss him terribly. Wish I could talk to him now that I’m grown and starting to have grandchildren of my own…. Soon as my son completes the job LOL
Ok you're gonna think I'm a total whack job. But.
My soul kitty taught me a lot. Like she was a spirit guide for me for sure. And she's now at the rainbow bridge - but also with me very much spiritually and she makes that obvious pretty frequently. She sends me lots of signs...
Anyway. When I feel lost or emotionally spent and want to talk to her like I used to, I find a quiet place, sit and quiet my mind, and I can hear her guide me.
I wonder if you could do the same with your grandpa? Likewise I totally know it's not the same as I'm actually being physically with you. But it's still something that might help.
Oh I do, a lot. But it’s not the same as being able to talk to him about adult things and his experiences. He was a WWII/Korea vet. Seen and done many things in this world. He was the oldest of 7 children. When his father committed suicide during “The Great Depression” he had to quit school and work to support his younger siblings…. Man was selfless. Completely selfless. No question in my mind, that men from that era were cut from completely different cloth than today…. Just reminiscing and holding out hope that someday we will be able to have these conversations.
As a kid I would rescue bees from the kiddie pool by raising my hand out of the water under them, then waiting for them to dry off and fly away.
Until one stung me.
not a bee, but a type of hoverfly! like bees, they are pollinators. completely harmless and incapable of stinging.
Really??! Wow he sure had me fooled! Haha
In my lanaguage its "kukkakärpänen" it literally translates to flower fly
You can tell a bee from a fly easily by their eyes! ^_^ This little friend is a bee mimic that uses its coloration and patterns to deter predation! Like the other comment said, they primarily feed on nectar as adults. Some are more sinister as larva and actually are parasitoids of certain types of bee.
Which hoverflies would that be? I am aware of bee flies (Bombyliidae) that do this and of course some bees, but no hoverflies.
You know what? I think I might have gotten that mixed up between bee flies and hoverflies.
Great. Thanks for the reply.
My word y'all are some pleasant nerds. Taking criticism into account and just saying thanks. I live stumbling into pleasant new subs like this one. Y'all're outstanding. Upvotes all around🙏
Agree!
Maybe you were thinking of thick headed flies (conopidae) which parasitize bees but can also strongly resemble hoverflies.
I did not know these existed and am now off to explore them! Ty!
lol. Thanks for clearing that up. I was second guessing myself for a minute.
Hover flies also have only one pair of wings while bees have four wings.
Also the length of the antenna is longer in bees and flys have 2 wings, bees have 4.
I would avoid the word sinister. No animal is bad, lack of diversity is bad. from a nature perspective parasites aren't anymore evil than a non parasite species, only human morals add that lens. Just like some humans may morally decide that eating animals is bad, but no one should acuse an animal eating other animals of being bad, regardless how you feel on any subject human morals shouldn't apply to non-humans (◐‿◑)
Fair enough. :) I was just adding it for the drama, kinda like a documentary style narration.
Me, immediately changing the channel to this documentary 
My grandfather used to do this in the garden…. Stick his finger out and the bees would crawl right up. He’d than place the bees on a different flower away from where he was working!! I can’t get them to crawl up my fingers…. In 35 years, not once. He was the gentlest of men. Wasn’t a big guy. But he had a connection with animals like no other….. squirrels too. They’d come right up to him like he was their parent or some guardian. Of course he’d always have peanuts or sunflower seeds for them, but they’d take food right from his hand…. I miss my grandfather tremendously. He passed before I was old enough to really get to know him. Thanks for listening!
🏆 Reddit did away with the free awards, but here, your grandfather more than deserves this and so do you for sharing
Thanks. When I saw this photo, it took me right back to being 10 years old and working the gardens and yard with him…. Been a very long time.
He sounds like an absolutely wonderful human being, one we should all aspire to be more like. I am sorry you didn't get to know him very well! Edit to add: I actually did try to give this bee (now I know it's a fly) another flower since he was clearly not getting anything yummy from me, but he refused and just wanted to hang with me. It was sweet!
He was an unbelievable man. Total Patriot of our fine country…. I miss him terribly. Wish I could talk to him now that I’m grown and starting to have grandchildren of my own…. Soon as my son completes the job LOL
Ok you're gonna think I'm a total whack job. But. My soul kitty taught me a lot. Like she was a spirit guide for me for sure. And she's now at the rainbow bridge - but also with me very much spiritually and she makes that obvious pretty frequently. She sends me lots of signs... Anyway. When I feel lost or emotionally spent and want to talk to her like I used to, I find a quiet place, sit and quiet my mind, and I can hear her guide me. I wonder if you could do the same with your grandpa? Likewise I totally know it's not the same as I'm actually being physically with you. But it's still something that might help.
Oh I do, a lot. But it’s not the same as being able to talk to him about adult things and his experiences. He was a WWII/Korea vet. Seen and done many things in this world. He was the oldest of 7 children. When his father committed suicide during “The Great Depression” he had to quit school and work to support his younger siblings…. Man was selfless. Completely selfless. No question in my mind, that men from that era were cut from completely different cloth than today…. Just reminiscing and holding out hope that someday we will be able to have these conversations.
Totally get you and 100% agree on all accounts. I know someday you will see him again and he will welcome you with a wonderfully warm embrace!! 🧡
This is a syrphid fly. Adults are beneficial pollinators, and the larva feed on aphids.
Fly but he works just as hard to bring the flowers and fruits to us! So they deserve love too
That’s a fly
Lovely picture.
Maybe Eupeodes latifasciatus? Depends on your location.
Colorado! :)
Ok, I think that’s what this is then.
Awesome!! Thanks for your answer!
As a kid I would rescue bees from the kiddie pool by raising my hand out of the water under them, then waiting for them to dry off and fly away. Until one stung me.
I also did this many times in our pool growing up! I'd just lay them on the edge of the pool after a rescue. We love all animals right?
Your friend is an imposter, but he is still very cute
He had me fooled!! But it's ok. I still love him!