Greater Bee Fly
Bombylius Major
Photo Credit: George Yanicki
The round, fuzzy body of a bee fly resembles a bumblebee, however there are a few differences. Bee flies have shorter antennae and only one pair of wings, while bees have two pairs. The bee fly does not bite, sting, or spread disease; it uses its long, rigid proboscis to drink nectar from flowers. Resembling bees not only helps the bee fly deter predators, but also allows them to get close to the nests of ground dwelling bees where they will lay their eggs.
The City Nature Challenge is a global citizen science bio-blitz held annually. Last year, over 66,394 people from cities around the world documented urban biodiversity on the first weekend of May. Together, they submitted 2.4 million observations for more than 65,682+ species, including more than 3,940+ rare/endangered/threatened species. In Lethbridge, we had 16 observers submit 844 observations of 278 species. Can you help us top this in 2025?