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segoe-ui_light, &quot;Segoe UI Light&quot;, &quot;Segoe WP Light& --_000_BN6PR08MB33147DA0DC27AE672D04C1A5FB110BN6PR08MB3314namp_ Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable 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 --_000_BN6PR08MB33147DA0DC27AE672D04C1A5FB110BN6PR08MB3314namp_ Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <html> <head> <meta http-equiv=3D"Content-Type" content=3D"text/html; charset=3Diso-8859-= 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 <naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca> on behalf of chris kennedy = <cjkennedy66@gmail.com><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> </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> <div id=3D"LPBorder_GT_14932463523600.8186392373325848" style=3D"margin-bot= tom: 20px; overflow: auto; width: 100%; text-indent: 0px;"> <table id=3D"LPContainer_14932463523550.9265237874337932" style=3D"width: 9= 0%; background-color: rgb(2