[NatureNS] Re: Mayflowers open/Insect

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From: Angus MacLean <Cold_Mac@hotmail.com>
To: "naturens@chebucto.ns.ca" <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Thread-Topic: [NatureNS] Re: Mayflowers open/Insect
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Chris' link does answer some of the questions re B. major. In the Wiki arti=
cle it also mentions they are great pollinators but I do not agree complete=
ly with that assumption. This particular species has one of the longest pro=
boscis (tongue), (size for size) in the avian world. This allows it to slur=
p nectar without actually landing on the flower (e.g. coltsfoot in the spri=
ng). This would seem to be a defense mechanism against crab spiders (also y=
ellow) which can be very common in the spring and are a deadly predator.

Before they flick their egg towards the mouth of the bee nest, they collect=
 dust or sand at the tip of their abdomen (where their ovipositor is) and t=
hen coat the egg which adds weight to it and probably tends to also camoufl=
age the egg.

Researchers claim that when the egg does not land far enough into the nest,=
 the larva will attach itself to the bee and get a free ride to the food! D=
espite such predation, Andrena bees and bee flies have existed together for=
 millennia.

Angus


________________________________
From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca <naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca> on beha=
lf of chris kennedy <cjkennedy66@gmail.com>
Sent: April 25, 2017 10:30 AM
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Re: Mayflowers open/Insect

They parasitize the bees. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombylius_major
[https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/97/Grosser_Wollschw=
eber_Bombylius_major.jpg/220px-Grosser_Wollschweber_Bombylius_major.jpg]<ht=
tps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombylius_major>

Bombylius major - Wikipedia<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombylius_major>
en.wikipedia.org
The Large Bee-fly, Bombylius major, is a bee mimic. The eggs are flicked by=
 the adult female toward the entrance of the underground nests of solitary =
bees and wasps.



On Tue, Apr 25, 2017 at 9:00 AM, Randy Lauff <randy.lauff@gmail.com<mailto:=
randy.lauff@gmail.com>> wrote:
What happens when the eggs hatch, Angus? Do the maggots parasitize the bees=
, or are they nest parasites...something else?

Randy

_________________________________
RF Lauff
Way in the boonies of
Antigonish County, NS.

On 24 April 2017 at 20:11, Angus MacLean <Cold_Mac@hotmail.com<mailto:Cold_=
Mac@hotmail.com>> wrote:

As Phil states, all the marks suggest a Bee Fly, B. major. Usually out very=
 early. At this time of year it lays its eggs at the entrance to nests of A=
ndrena bees.

Angus


________________________________
From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca<mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca> <=
naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca<mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>> on beh=
alf of James Hirtle <jrhbirder@hotmail.com<mailto:jrhbirder@hotmail.com>>
Sent: April 24, 2017 5:03 PM
To: Naturens Naturens
Subject: [NatureNS] Mayflowers open/Insect


Hi all:


I photographed some mayflowers fully open today at New Cumberland.  Had my =
first wood tick crawling on my ear also.  It's in two pieces now.


I had an interesting insect that was feeding at the mayflowers.  It looks l=
ike a bee, but when feeding more like a hummingbird moth.  It is tinier tho=
ugh.  The purtubance that goes into the flower is long and pointy.  I have =
a good picture of this.  I believe it might be a sweat bee, but if anyone w=
ould like to see the photo and can give me a positive ID it would be apprec=
iated.


James R. Hirtle

LaHave



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<html>
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1">
<style type=3D"text/css" style=3D"display:none;"><!-- P {margin-top:0;margi=
n-bottom:0;} --></style>
</head>
<body dir=3D"ltr">
<div id=3D"divtagdefaultwrapper" style=3D"font-size:12pt;color:#000000;font=
-family:Calibri,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" dir=3D"ltr">
<p>Chris' link does answer some of the questions re B. major. In the Wiki a=
rticle it also mentions they are great pollinators but I do not agree compl=
etely with that assumption. This particular species has one of the longest =
proboscis (tongue), (size for size)
 in the avian world. This allows it to slurp nectar without actually landin=
g on the flower (e.g. coltsfoot in the spring). This would seem to be a def=
ense mechanism against crab spiders (also yellow) which can be very common =
in the spring and are a deadly predator.</p>
<p>Before they flick their egg towards the mouth of the bee nest, they coll=
ect dust or sand at the tip of their abdomen (where their ovipositor is) an=
d then coat the egg which adds weight to it and probably tends to also camo=
uflage the egg.
<br>
</p>
<p>Researchers claim that when the egg does not land far enough into the ne=
st, the larva will attach itself to the bee and get a free ride to the food=
! Despite such predation, Andrena bees and bee flies have existed together =
for millennia.</p>
<p>Angus<br>
</p>
<br>
<br>
<div style=3D"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<hr tabindex=3D"-1" style=3D"display:inline-block; width:98%">
<div id=3D"divRplyFwdMsg" dir=3D"ltr"><font style=3D"font-size:11pt" color=
=3D"#000000" face=3D"Calibri, sans-serif"><b>From:</b> naturens-owner@chebu=
cto.ns.ca &lt;naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca&gt; on behalf of chris kennedy =
&lt;cjkennedy66@gmail.com&gt;<br>
<b>Sent:</b> April 25, 2017 10:30 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> naturens@chebucto.ns.ca<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [NatureNS] Re: Mayflowers open/Insect</font>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
</div>
<div>
<div dir=3D"ltr">They parasitize the bees. <a href=3D"https://en.wikipedia.=
org/wiki/Bombylius_major" id=3D"LPlnk153365" previewremoved=3D"true">
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombylius_major</a>
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tom: 20px; overflow: auto; width: 100%; text-indent: 0px;">
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0%; background-color: rgb(2