Another big'un


This is another one of the big, easy to do hoverflies - Volucella inanis. (Not as easy to do as I blithely claimed. Andrew Cunningham has quite rightly pointed out that this is V. zonaria) It barged it's way past all of the puny flies, wasps and beetles to land on some ivy and show off its awesome build. They really are spectacular these large hoverflies. If only they were all as easy to identify - but there again there wouldn't be any challenge, would there?

Comments

Unknown said…
The rusty tones to the sides of tergite two says this is Volucella zonaria. Not so easy after all.

To be sure of it, check the undersides as V. zonaria is blacker than V. inanis.
31 July 2014 at 17:42
Steve Gale said…
Thank you Andrew. This only goes to prove that I am in a desperate need to check everything very carefully indeed.
31 July 2014 at 18:04
Ali said…
What a beaut!
1 August 2014 at 16:15
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