Someone please tell me what this is? He's the size of a regular honey bee, but the stinger is in the front! Happily, he was rescued from the pool yesterday and set free. Last seen buzzing around our blossom filled Palo Verde tree. Contact me at birdbloglady@gmail.com
UPDATE: April 24th, 2011
Hello Peggy,
The "Backward Bumble Bee" picture may be a picture of a fly. I think it is a fly because it appears to have only two wings and it has very short antennae. The object that you see sticking out of the front is its Proboscis. It is not uncommon to see this "tongue" sticking out.
Here is a link for you to use for further study: http://bugguide.net/node/view/15740
The BugGuide is a service of Iowa State University Entomology.
Here is a book reference: "Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America"
by Eric R. Eaton and Kenn Kaufman
Happy birding,
William Herron
UPDATE: April 30th, 2011
While birding today at Gilbert Water Ranch, I met an entomologist from Cape Cod, Mass., she further identified the fly in the above photo as a "Bee Fly". Thanks Honnah, hope you were able to see a Vermilion Flycatcher along the Salt River!
No comments:
Post a Comment