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Bee-fly flying (Bombylius major)


Bee-fly flying (Bombylius major)
Photo Information
Copyright: Billy Newboy (billynewboy) Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 39 W: 11 N: 221] (694)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2009-04-18
Categories: Insects
Camera: Canon 50D, Sigma 50-500, Sigma 86mm UV
Exposure: f/8, 1/320 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2009-04-19 9:10
Viewed: 432
Points: 10
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
I took this Bee-Fly in my garden, It took a lot of waving the camera about to finally capture him on the wing.

Bee-flies belong to the Order Diptera (True Flies), Family Bombyliidae. The example illustrated, Bombylius major, is the largest and best known of the British species. The body is stout and furry, so that the fly has a strong superficial resemblance to a bumblebee, although the long, spindly legs are rather different from those of a bee. It has a long, rigid proboscis held out in front of the head, which is used to probe for nectar while the fly hovers at flowers (rather like a humming bird). Its hovering and darting flight, accompanied by a high-pitched whine, is much more agile than that of a bee. The larval stages live as parasites in the nests of solitary bees (e.g., Andrena, Halictus and Colletes species), where they eat the food stores and grubs of their host.

The life-history of Bombylius major has been observed and described by T.A. Chapman (1878) in the Entomologist's Monthly Magazine, vol.14, pp.196-208.
red45, nglen, jaycee, Alex99 has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2705 W: 74 N: 8864] (30243)
  • [2009-04-19 10:25]

Hi Billy!

This is one of my favourite flies and still on my wish list to photograph in flight. You did great jobe here - insect is perfectly sharp and detailed, with good light and leaf as BG. 1/320 isn't enough to freeze wings, but blurred ones add dynamic to this picture. I wonder what is this thing in BG - it looks like bullet :-)

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2921 W: 34 N: 8658] (32266)
  • [2009-04-19 10:41]

Hi Billy. Good work in freezing this Bee-Fly in flight. I have tried and failed i must try harder. You have taken good detail in the body with bright colours. I like the legs trailing on behind. Well done TFs.
Nick..

Have a good week ahead.

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2493 W: 11 N: 6885] (21912)
  • [2009-04-19 13:31]

Hi Billy,

You were lucky - you managed this excellent shot without getting stung. You froze this bee perfectly with the wings spread and the legs down. Great job.

Jane

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3591 W: 143 N: 5691] (18607)
  • [2009-04-19 21:16]

Hi Billy.
Excellent in-flight shot of the insect which gave me a lot of pleasure when I was shooting it. Superb timing and excellent sharpness of the flyer. I also like excellent diagonal composition of the shot and nice rich colours. Well done and TFS.
Alexei.

Hello Billy, this is a wonderful shot. The motion of the bee is perfectly frozen here. The body is in sharp focus with details properly visible. Great attempt.

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