| Hoverflies
belong to the Syrphidae family and often get
incorrectly identified as bees and wasps, due their
mimicry of bees and wasps. Such mimicry is very well
exhibited by Volucella bombylans - probably the
area's largest species of Hoverfly. We only found it
recently, along the western edge of Lound Wood at the end
of May 2005, where these photographs were taken. Like
many species of Hoverfly, V. bombylans are best
looked for at sunny, sheltered sites. They are fairly
obvious, due to their large size and are completely
harmless. The larvae live as scavengers in the nests of
bees and wasps, feeding on dead insects and other debris. |
