To Bee or Not To Bee

Took this picture, downloaded it, blew it up, and was about to start going through Bee Id websites when I noticed this insect didn't have any hair. Bee's almost universally have hair. Instead I googled "insects that look like bees". Turns out it's a Hover fly. Hover flies are beneficial. While the adults only eat flower nectar & pollen, their larvae are voracious eaters of aphids, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects. Since they are not part of the Flying Insect Bet this year, I neither have the time nor inclination to figure out the specific species of this one. Still ... it is interesting.