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Hoverflies (Syrphidae), tribe Volucellini

Larvae are scavengers in bumble-bee or wasp nests

Volucella inanis (Linnaeus, 1758)		Volucella zonaria (Poda, 1761)
Cambridge: 19 Jul 2002; female Large (16mm) fly with 3 striking broad yellow bands Sternite 2 (arrowed) is YELLOW Female, feeding on garden fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) flowers Expanding its range northwards since about 2000		Cambridge Botanic Gardens (TL454571): 10 Aug 2007; female Even larger than V. inanis with the dorsal bands a more subdued brown Sternite 2 (arrowed) is BLACK Expanding its range in a similar manner to inanis Enlargements: Top Side

Other perceptible differences are that the wings of zonaria are more extensively tinged yellowish-brown; and each of its wings has only one dark stigna (near the tip) while those of inanis have another midway along the leading edge.

NBN Atlas: Volucella inanis / Volucella zonaria.

Volucella bombylans (Linnaeus, 1758)

Left: Cambridge, Byron's Pool TL437548, 26 May 2015 This is var. plumata, which mimics white-tailed bumblebees (but has obviously never seen one). There is another form which mimics red-tailed bumbles. The only bumblebee mimic with a re-entrant outer cross-vein. NBN Atlas.

Volucella pellucens (Linnaeus, 1758)

Left: Garden, 29 Jun 2002 Right: Lime Kiln Close TL486560, 9 Jun 2009 Large dark fly with distinctive white band Larger image See Leucozona lucorum for a smaller hoverfly with a white band NBN Atlas.

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