Bee flies (Family: bombyliidae) gain their name from their behaviour (they feed on nectar and pollen) and often their appearance (they often resemble bees). Below are examples of three genera seen during the summer of 2010.
The Kootenay-Lake Website offers a discussion and more pictures of the local flies.
The bombylius fly (Bombyliidae sp.) is usually seen in the spring only to vanish later in the summer. It uses its long proboscis to extract nectar from flowers.
The villa fly (Villa sp.) is often seen probing flowers.
These anthrax flies (Anthrax sp.) are mating. This genus of bee flies gains the name, anthrax, from its colour (anthrax coming from the Greek word for coal). They were on some wooden siding. When a picture was taken they would fly away still attached to one another, but quickly alight again. 