The Bombyliidae are a family of flies. Their common name are bee flies or humbleflies. Adults generally feed on nectar and pollen, some being important pollinators.

Do bee flies have stingers?

Some flies, especially bee flies, are quite hairy and similar to honey bees (Figure 2), bumble bees and other native bees. Flies also hover and move quickly from flower to flower while foraging. Unlike bees, flies do not have a stinger and are not a threat to gardeners.

Where do bee flies come from?

Bee-flies are all parasitoids of solitary bees and wasps, their larvae consuming the baby bees underground and then emerging to pupate into the nectar feeding, and so in some instances, pollinating adults. They are some of the earlier flying flies of the season.