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Project Noah Nature School
Bombylius major
The adult is 14 to 18 millimetres in length, fluffly in appearance, with long hairy legs that dangle while in flight. The very long proboscis is used to feed on the nectar of many species of flowers. While its wings continue to beat its front legs grip the flower and its long rigid beak is inserted to collect the nectar (it does not bite humans, is harmless.) It is a bee mimic. The eggs are flicked by the adult female toward the entrance of the underground nests of solitary bees and wasps. After hatching, the larvae find their way into the nests to feed on the grubs.
Prairie. http://www.sintpietersberg.org/
Spotted on May 15, 2015
Submitted on Jul 12, 2015
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