Banded hoverfly, Volucella zonaria
Banded hoverfly, Volucella zonaria (submitted by NaturePlus user BigD)
The banded hoverfly, or hornet mimic hoverfly, is one of the largest hoverflies occurring in Britain and is most frequently seen in south east England. Its thorax (region behind the head) is brown and its abdomen is orangey-yellow with two thick black stripes. Because of its size and colouration it can be mistaken for a hornet, but it is harmless as it cannot bite or sting. It also looks very similar to Volucella inanis but is more orange than yellow and the black bands are broader. Females lay their eggs in the nests of social wasps where the larvae mainly feed as scavengers but will also feed on the host larvae and pupae.
