My Garden - Hairy-footed Flower Bee

Last year it was the Bee-flies which grabbed a lot of my attention but 2022 has turned out to be the year of Hairy-footed Flower Bee (Anthophora plumipes)! A bit of a mouthful to say and just like the Bee-flies, they don't hang around, you could call them the F1 of the Bee speed stakes! They dash from plant to plant and flower to flower as if their life depended upon it! All of the images feature a female (all Black) whilst I've yet to capture a male which resembles the Common carder Bee.

I've learnt to tolerate plants which aren't exactly my favourites for the sake of insects (Pulmonaria is a good example) but it attracts them like a magnet.

As there's no time to lose, a quick hover will suffice...

It's not often the wings remain still!

Finally, that's your lot and off to the next plant

Where's a male when you need one?

Bombylius major - Bee-fly take 2

I spent an hour or two trying to capture the Bee-flies in flight today and most of the time, even if they seem to have landed, they were hovering next to the flower. With the Ipheion plants going over, Aubrieta took over as the number one source of nectar...

I just love the way their legs dangle when flying or hovering!

With a few flowers standing proud of the dense mat, a decent background opportunity was discovered!

Oh, them amazing legs :-)

A drilling rig sprang to mind :-)

They have no doubt been in the garden for many years, it's so easy to overlook the amazing insects all around us?!

Bombylius major - Bee-fly take 1

I get   Bee-flies (Bombylius major) in the garden every year but I'm usually not there to see them! Lockdown has its advantages... For take one, I was content to capture them when stationary, which doesn't happen very often!

The dark leading edge to the wing is the identifying feature but realistically this is the only species likely to be found here... 

The lance like proboscis may look menacing but it's simply a feeding tube.

Seen here, drinking nectar from this flower of Ipheion uniflorum (which was a 'go to' plant for them). I normally weed these all out but a few clumps are most welcome now!

They are easily disturbed and spend much of their time flying from flower to flower, 'take two' will concentrate on this..