Telling the difference between bees and flies may seem obvious, but sometimes these insects can look surprisingly similar. It can be particularly confusing as some species of fly have developed a clever evolutionary trick to mimic the appearance of bees to better protect themselves against predators. This is known as 'Batesian mimicry'.
Confusingly, as well as a bee and a fly, the animal kingdom also includes an insect known as the bee-fly. Bee-flies are parasitoids of solitary bees and wasps, which means the larvae of these flies consume bees underground. They have evolved to mimic bees as a form of camouflage and defence, which helps them defend themselves against predators.
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What's the difference between bees and flies?
The clearest differences between bees and flies are their wings and eyes.
- Bees have oval eyes on the sides of their heads, while flies have larger, round eyes towards the front of their heads.
- Bees have two pairs of wings, while flies only have one.
To tell the difference between bees and flies, you can also check their antennae. Bees have a joint in the middle of their antennae, which allows them to bend them, whereas flies have short, very thin antennae.
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Bees also tend to have much more hair, which helps them carry pollen back to their nests. Flies don’t rely on pollen in the same way, so their bodies are often smoother.
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The body shape of these two insects is also very different, as bees have narrow waists and more of an 'hourglass' figure.
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Top image: Eristalis nemorum, a species of hoverfly (credit: Mykhailo Hladchenko/Getty)
