Is this a bee or a wasp?

[citizensmith]

Looks like a honeybee to me. Are you sure you dont have any wall void, chimney breast or suchlike behind your beams - there could bee more :shock:
Oh and you cant "look ater he" as they are all girls - no men in the bee world only 3 different types of girl. And I thought humans were confusing :roll:

 

[Tom]

Oh yes, I have lots of voids and holes and a large chimney upstairs and down. I don't mind if they're bees, unless they become a real nuisance and even then I'd feel awful having to 'make them move'. Earlier this year, we had a massive swarm of them fly right over our garden, at head height, through the barn and down the back field. I've never seen a swarm so close. It was an amazing sight, to see so many on the move. I felt quite priviledged. They were literally feet away from me. I love bees

 

[Flyfisher]

They were literally feet away from me.

Sounds like they may still be. :wink:

 

[MdB]

 

[Lime]

Oh and you cant "look ater he" as they are all girls - no men in the bee world only 3 different types of girl. And I thought humans were confusing :roll:

Drones are male bees.

 

[Tom]

It's definitely not a horsefly.

 

[MdB]

There are lots of variates of horse fly. Some with bee like markings. The eyes are the give away so look at them carefully.

 

[Tom]

Right, I'm taking my magnifying glass over there with me tomorrow. If they are horseflies, they're all gonna die :twisted: One of my ponies has suffered badly, for the first time, this year with sweet itch. I'm damned if I'm gonna let these bu99ers bite her as well !!!!

Do horseflies live in timber, then? These definitely come out of the beams, hover around them and go back in.

 

[jamest]

It's the hovering around that gives it away! The one I posted on the purple flowers is a kind of hover fly.

I'd say for sure it's a kind of fly - and many species of hover flies look a bit like bees, but they have fly-like eyes and much smaller antennae. However, they don't generally live in beams, so what kind of fly it is exactly is hard for a non-expert like me to say.

 

[citizensmith]

Drones are male bees

Common and very understandable misconception. 3 types of "female".
1. Queen (fertile diploid "female")
2. Worker (sterile diploid "female" )
3. Drone (genetically haploid female, from an unfertilised egg) but definately not genetically a true male, despite the sperm making ability.

Forget male/female with bees - it just doesnt apply, they have 3 sexes.

Oh, and its bad news to be a drone - their "first time" is their last as they fatally "explode" when they mate with a queen.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

There are lots of variates of horse fly. Some with bee like markings. The eyes are the give away so look at them carefully.

I'm not sure if the first two pictures are the same insect from different angles? Can someone help me - is it 2 bee or not 2 bee? :lol:

 

[Flyfisher]

But what a way to go.

 

[Matt Green]

ZZZZzzzzzZZzZ-*snort!* What! An entomological emergency?!

I think it's a drone fly. Eristalis tenax. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eristalis_tenax

 

[MdB]

Well Matt is our expert on these things. I suggest you put one in an envelope to him pronto for evaluation. Matt just loves having random insects sent to him - if they are still alive - even better :twisted:

 

[LadyArowana]

Well Matt is our expert on these things. I suggest you put one in an envelope to him pronto for evaluation. Matt just loves having random insects sent to him - if they are still alive - even better

:twisted: I bet I can find something........................