Bombylius pulchellus Loew 1863

No specific information could be found. It can be assumed that as parasitoids, the success of the species is dependent on the success of the host or hosts.

Adult specimens have been collected from mid-May to mid-June.

Nearctic (Hall & Evenhuis 1980).

"6-8 mm long, 20-25 mm wingspan. Faded brown tint to anterior of wing, and distinctive outlined blotches throughout. Hair with blonde tint. Characteristics shared with other Bombylius species include a slender first antennal segment, long scattered bristly hairs, holoptic males, conspicuously bristled hind femora, and a distinct intercalary vein (Hull 1973)."

Arid regions with loose soil of the type frequented by ground-nesting bees.

Very little species-specific information available. The general bombyliid life cycle is described in Marshall (2006). Females coat eggs with a sticky substance in order to gather a protective layer of soil when they are dropped into burrows of potential hosts. First instar larvae actively penetrate host nests, then molt into sedentary ectoparasitoids, a phenomenon known as hypermetamorphosis. Pupae are equipped with rigid ornamentation to assist escape from the burrow. Adults resemble bees as a deterrent against predators, and imitate them behaviourally and functionally by feeding on nectar and spreading pollen.

Larvae parasitise solitary ground-nesting bees, including Halictus ligatus (Packer 1988). Adults feed on nectar (Hull 1973).

Bombylius pulchellus is a species of bee flies in the family Bombyliidae.