Bombylius canescens is a Palearctic species with limited distribution in Europe,[2] usually found in arid to semi-arid habitats.

[8] A general description of the range of B.canescens from 1796 includes countries across the Southern belt of Western, Central and Eastern Europe.

[9] Further sources include observe the fly in Malta,[10] Jordan,[4] Spain,[11] Ireland,[12] Turkey,[9] Austria,[5] Italy,[6] Wales, and England.

[11] Currently, researchers have been unable to isolate a specific type of flower or plant that is exclusively pollinated by bee-flies; however, observations of B.canescens from Central Europe and Italy recorded visits by adults to the following flowers:[5] Dissection studies have revealed that females with mature oocytes in their ovaries and females with oocytes in the stage of vitellogenesis have strongly dilated crops.

[13] Adult B.canescens are found among parasitic guilds, which include other Bombyliidae flies at aggregations of bee nests.

[16] Bombylius canescens have been observed targeting bees as host species across the Lasioglossum, Andrena, Halictus and Odynerus genera.

Observations from the specimen guided the conclusion that the mushroom body calyx is well developed in flies of the order Bombyliidae.