Image Credit:Jean and Fred
Beeflies (Bombyliidae: Bombyliinae) – parasite of pollenivores. The abundant genera Bombylius and Heterostylum (extremely long-tongued), and Anthrax, Paravilla and Exoprosopa (short-tongued) are both parasitic on bees. Bombylius is immediately identifiable by the length of its tongue. Anthrax (and a few other less-common genera) is similar to many other bee-flies.
The long-tongued Bombylius and Heterostylum are able to hover in front horizontal flowers with no landing platform (like many mints, for instance).
The short-tongued genera require a landing platform (Paravilla left, Anthrax center, Exoprosopa right).