Bombylius is a large genus of flies belonging to the family Bombyliidae. They are known as the bee-flies, due to their striking resemblance to bees and bumblebees, and are distributed worldwide. One species of the genus, Bombylius major, is widely distributed throughout the northern hemisphere and is very well known. Physiology All species in the genus share a similarity with the unrelated bees and bumblebees, which they mimic, possessing a thick coat of fur, with a colour ranging from yellow to orange. They can, however, be told apart from their models by the long and stiff proboscis they possess, used to probe for nectar as they fly (much like a hummingbird), by their rapid and darting flight, and by the peculiar structure of their legs. As larvae, they are parasitic and infest the nests of solitary bees (and possibly wasps), consuming their food stores and grubs. Species European species Subgenus Bombylius Bombylius aaroni Báez, 1983 – Canary Islands Bombylius ambustus Pallas, 1818 – southern Palaearctic, Near East Bombylius analis Olivier, 1789 – southern Palaearctic, Near East Bombylius candidus Loew, 1855 – Palaearctic, Near East Bombylius canescens Mikan, 1796 – Palaearctic, Near East Bombylius cinerascens Mikan, 1796 – Europe, Near East Bombylius citrinus Loew, 1855 – southern Europe, Near East Bombylius discolor Mikan, 1796 – Europe, Near East Bombylius fimbriatus Meigen, 1820 – Palaearctic, Near East, North Africa Bombylius flavipes Wiedemann, 1828 – Italy, Spain, Near East, North Africa Bombylius floccosus Loew, 1857 – southeastern Europe, Near East Bombylius fulvescens Wiedemann in Meigen, 1820 – Palaearctic, Near East, North Africa Bombylius fumosus Dufour, 1832 – Spain Bombylius fuscus Fabricius, 1791 – southern Palaearctic, Near East, North Africa Bombylius kutshurganicus Paramonov, 1926 – southern Russia, Ukraine, Moldova Bombylius major Linnaeus, 1758 Bombylius medius Linnaeus, 1758 – Palaearctic, Near East, North Africa Bombylius minor Linnaeus, 1758 – Palaearctic, Near East Bombylius modestus Loew, 1873 – southern Palaearctic, Near East, North Africa Bombylius mus Bigot, 1862 – southern Palaearctic, Near East, North Africa Bombylius niveus Meigen, 1804 – southern Europe, Near East Bombylius nubilus Mikan, 1796 – central and southern Europe, Near East, North Africa Bombylius oceanus Becker, 1908 – Canary Islands Bombylius pallens Wiedemann in Meigen, 1820 – Italy, Spain, Portugal Bombylius pardalotus François, 1969 – Italy, Spain Bombylius pintuarius Báez, 1983 – Canary Islands Bombylius posticus Fabricius, 1805 – Palaearctic, Near East, North Africa Bombylius pumilus Meigen, 1820 – southern Europe, Near