Yet another sunny day. The as yet unidetified bee (or bee-fly) is still visiting the marguriefish plant by the pond. However today I have seen the brown coloured bee fly Bombylius major which I have seen in the past (pictures below). Both were visiting the same plant and I could compare them more easily. I am now convinced that the black insect I have been watching is either a bee or a bee mimic. Still trying to track down a definite identification.
Like the bee, the bee-fly has a long probosis and feeds on the nectar in a similar way as the unidentified bee. Both of these insects are able to reach the nectar with their probosis. Most of the time they do not enter the flower so pollination does not take place in this case. A second bee-fly was sunbathing on the rockery.
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