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Any Bee expert out there?

Any Bee expert out there?


Postby Tinto63 » Sat Aug 11, 2018 9:12 pm

Came across this black bee in the southern Pentland Hills today (Darlees Rig area). Anyone know what it is?

It kept on returning to roughly the same spot on the cairn and then fly off and feed on heather and return.

P8110157_01.JPG


P8110163_01.JPG


P8110165_01.JPG
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Tinto63
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Re: Any Bee expert out there?

Postby Caberfeidh » Sun Aug 12, 2018 9:23 am

I don't think it's a bee, I think you have been intentionally duped by a hoverfly, not all of which are stripey. Try googling hoverfly images and you get a plethora of different coloured hoverflies, all doing their best to look like stinging insects to avoid predators.
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Re: Any Bee expert out there?

Postby CharlesT » Sun Aug 12, 2018 9:53 am

I do think it's a bee, possibly one of the numerous mason, mining or carpenter bees or maybe a colletes species. There are lots of guides to identification on the net. Get sesrching.
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Re: Any Bee expert out there?

Postby crfishwick » Sun Aug 12, 2018 11:20 am

CharlesT wrote:I do think it's a bee, possibly one of the numerous mason, mining or carpenter bees or maybe a colletes species. There are lots of guides to identification on the net. Get sesrching.


I had a search last night and came to the conclusion one of the mining species. Although wasn't going to stick my neck out and look a p*lloc*. :lol:
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Re: Any Bee expert out there?

Postby Tinto63 » Sun Aug 12, 2018 12:01 pm

Thanks for the responses, glad to know that there is a difference of opinion - makes life interesting! I have had a look through a few guides online, but can't make up my mind. I can't remember seeing anything similar before, size was about the same as a bumble bee, but not quite as large as the very largest garden bees.
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Re: Any Bee expert out there?

Postby stirlingdavo » Thu Aug 16, 2018 10:45 pm

Pretty sure this is Tachina grossa, a big tachinid fly that parasitizes large caterpillars.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tachina_grossa

A rather grizzly life cycle...... :shock:

Cheers David
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Re: Any Bee expert out there?

Postby Tinto63 » Thu Aug 23, 2018 10:34 pm

That looks like the one. Thanks for the research, an ugly beast and an interesting life cycle...
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