page_title: Bombylius major
section_title: Life Cycle
hierarchical_section_title: Bombylius major / Life Cycle
caption_attribution_description: 日本語: 交尾中のビロウドツリアブ、鈴鹿山脈（三重県いなべ市）にて English: Bombylius major mating in Suzuka Moutains, Inabe, Mie prefecture, Japan.
context_page_description: Bombylius major is a parasitic bee mimic fly. B. major is the most common type of fly within the Bombylius genus. The fly derives its name from its close resemblance to bumblebees and are often mistaken for them.
  B. major exhibits a unique flight behavior known as "yawing" and plays a role in general pollination, without preference of flower types. The fly does not bite, sting, or spread disease. However, the fly uses this mimicry of bumblebees to its own advantage, allowing close access to host solitary bee and wasp nests in order to deposit its eggs. After hatching, the larvae find their way into the nests to parasitically feed on the grubs.
context_section_description: B. major is mostly seen in the spring, beginning to appear at the end of March and large numbers seen until the end of May, with the species being sighted into June. The fly is holometabolous. 
  B. major has several host species, including the brood of solitary wasps and bees, particularly digging bees such as Andrena. Egg deposition takes place by the female hovering above the entrance of a host insect nest, usually a solitary bee, and throwing down her eggs using a flicking movement. The larvae are hypermetamorphic parasitoids which then feed on the food stored, as well as the young solitary bees or wasps. If the female is unable to flick her eggs near the nest she plants them on flowers visited by the host insects. The developing larvae then make their way to the host nest or attach themselves to the bees or wasps to then be carried to the nest.
caption: Bombylius major mating in Suzuka Mountains, Inabe, Mie prefecture, Japan.
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