What could this “bee”? Well… not a bee at all! This is the common drone fly (Eristalis tenax), a master of mimicry. Its honeybee look keeps predators away, but its real role is pollination, carrying tiny grains of life from one bloom to the next. I stumbled on it while photographing bumblebees in my backyard. It even had me fooled until I looked more closely! 🐝
