While walking by a sandy area in Riversidean Alluvial Fan Sage Scrub at the Claremont Colleges' Bernard Field Station, I noticed buzzing insects flying about that appeared to be bee flies. Most of them were hovering or zipping about, but one finally landed, so I could take a photo. I think this must be Bombylius major. Confirmation or correction will be greatly appreciated!

I was surprised to see these – first because I had not previously observed bee flies at the field station as early as January, and second that there were so many (at least a dozen) of a bee fly species we had not previously recorded at the field station.