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Bee fly on grape plant
I found these bee flies on young grape plants in my backyard in Dallas TX. Bombylius major I believe. Have you known these to be a problem in vineyards? Curiously, they just landed on my Zinfandel and Shiraz grape plants, but not my Black Spanish plants which are Pierce Disease resistant (my first worry was the glassy-winged sharpshooter). Zinfandel and Shiraz are vitis vinifera (European) plants. Thanks,
Richard Jernigan

Hi Richard,
The Greater Bee Fly poses no threat to your vines. The adult Greater Bee Fly is a pollinator, and in that sense it is beneficial. The larvae though are parasitic on Solitary Bees, and in that sense, while not injurious, they might have an adverse effect on pollination done by the bees.

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