Sex-related diet specificity in Bombylius major and some other bombyliidae (diptera)

The study of the gut content of several bombyliid species revealed sex-related differences in their diets: the females consumed much more pollen than males. No difference was observed in the consumption of pollen between long-proboscid ( Bombylius major, B. canescens , and Systoechus gradatus ) and short-proboscid ( Hemipenthes maurus and H. morio ) species. Both sexes were capable of digestion of pollen. The pollen appears to be accumulated in the crop first and then enter the midgut by large portions.