#3785 · 🪰 flies & mosquitoes

Anthracite Bee-Fly

🇳🇱 Muurrouwzwever ·Anthrax anthrax

🪰 Flies & mosquitoes 📍 in the Netherlands

10 photos from iNaturalist (Creative Commons) · credits & licences

1. © Ralph Martin · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
2. © Ralph Martin · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
3. © Ralph Martin · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
4. © Nikolai Vladimirov · CC BY-NC 4.0
5. © Dmitry Ivanov · CC BY-NC 4.0
6. Wageningen, Nederland:© André Nagelhout · CC BY-NC 4.0
7. Amsterdam, Netherlands:© severinus · CC BY-NC 4.0
8. 6102 XW Echt, Nederland:© Pierre · CC BY-NC 4.0
9. 5066 EH Moergestel, Nederland:© Rick Denissen · CC BY-NC 4.0
10. Alkmaar, Nederland:© Joost . · CC BY-NC 4.0

what is it?

Anthrax anthrax , is a species of fly in the family Bombyliidae but unlike for example Bombylius major this species does not mimic a bee or bumblebee. The eggs are flicked by the adult female toward the entrance of the nests of mason bees. After hatching, the larvae find their way into the nests to feed on the bee larva. Anthrax anthrax can be found in May to August throughout mainland Europe, but probably does not occur...

base stats

NL sightings 224iNaturalist, research grade
worldwide 3,841iNaturalist observations

Bars compare against all animals on log scales: up to 300,000 Dutch and 600,000 worldwide sightings (the most-seen species), 150 t (blue whale), 30 m and 400 years (Greenland shark).

fun facts

Spotted 224 times in the Netherlands on iNaturalist: the #34 most seen of the flies & mosquitoes in NL.
3,841 observations worldwide on iNaturalist.
Scientifically named by Franz von Paula Schrank in 1781 (245 years ago).