Bee identification

[Do224]

I’m a total novice....please excuse me if this is a stupid question. I’ve not got any bees yet but I’ve been shown inside a good few hives by a kind gent who happened to have a large apiary. None of the bees looked like this one I spotted in the garden today. It’s very dark in comparison to all the bees I’ve seen and just looks a bit ‘different’ to me.....is it just natural variation?

 

[Do224]

Not sure why the picture isn’t showing properly in the above post...I’ll try again

 

[Bumble Bee Slim]

Pellucid fly or something similar ?

 

[Monbees]

Pellucid fly or something similar ?

I too think this is a hoverfly, not a bee

 

[Do224]

That would explain it

 

[user 819]

Definitely a fly.

 

[user 819]

It is a Drone Fly 'Eristalis tenax'. The two amber patches on the front of the abdomen is a feature and gives it a slight appearance of a male honey bee.

 

[Boston Bees]

That would explain it

First thing to look at is the wings. If they are carried at a 45 degree angle like that, first guess is a fly.

 

[Bear]

There are no antenna on that winged insect in the picture either so another reason it’s some type of fly.

 

[gmonag]

... and only two wings.