虻あぶ蜂はち

noun

horsefly and bee; horsefly and wasp

Refers to the two insects together, often used in the proverb 虻蜂取らず (abuhachi torazu), meaning 'trying to catch both a horsefly and a bee and ending up with neither' — i.e., attempting two things at once and failing at both.

See also: 虻蜂取らず (あぶはちとらず)

• 虻あぶ蜂はち取とらずにならないように、一ひとつずつ片かた付づけよう。

  Let's handle things one at a time so we don't end up like the person who tried to catch both a horsefly and a bee and got neither.

• 「虻あぶ蜂はち」という言こと葉ばは、ことわざ以い外がいではあまり使つかわれない。

  The word 'abuhachi' is rarely used outside of the proverb.