Insect ID

[andy_j]

Sorry it's not a butterfly but saw this brute yesterday. I presume it's not a wasp or Hornet as it's feeding on Budleja.

Any ideas, about 3/4" long

[Pete Eeles]

Looks like a hoverfly to me but the size doesn't match, based on those I'm used to seeing.

Cheers,

- Pete

[Neil Hulme]

It looks like the giant hoverfly (hornet mimic) Volucella zonaria.
BWs, Neil

[ChrisC]

and what a gorgeous beast it is. as Neil said V. zonaria, but look out for it's little brother V. inanis similar in colouration but not quite as impressive size wise but still big for a hover.

Chris

[Trev Sawyer]

Yes, these insects are becoming quite common now and their larvae live inside wasps nests - they're certainly braver than me
They do look very wasp-like, but cannot bite or sting.

Trev

[Vince Massimo]

These are fantastic creatures and unmistakable by their size

Hornet Mimic Hoverfly - Addington, Surrey 24-June-2011

Vince

[andy_j]

Wow !!! I did feel safe around it, i was pretty sure it wasn't a nasty as it was happily feeding on nectar and ignoring anything around it. There was a few wasps nearby happily eyeing up a nest of newly emerged flying ants

[Cotswold Cockney]

Until a few summers ago, I had never knowingly seen one of these fine Hoverflies anywhere. Then I spotted one in the garden. Since that first sighting, each summer one or more put in an appearance. This August has seen a few more. They are an impressive creature. Here's a picture of a Hornet Hoverfly I saw in the garden last Summer :~



Based on my garden observations and when driving about generally this summer, it has to be one of the best summers for all three common species of Whites. Pleased to observe Peacocks super abundant, good numbers of Commas and even the once scarce Small Tortoiseshell has been numerous.

One Red Admiral resting on a plastic plant on the patio just before dusk couple of nights ago. Would not have known it was there until my coat brushed it off its perch when it flopped to the floor unable to fly as its muscles were far too cold. I picked it up and placed it safely in a proper live bush, not a plastic one...

The Clouded Yellow is one of my favourite summer visitors. Not seen one locally but my son saw one up on Cleeve Hill during recent days.

My immediate next door neighbour severely pruned his Buddleia bushes earlier this year. I do mean severe. My plant has seen few butterflies on it until recently. That is because two massive bushes on open ground about fifty metres away have been in full flower for over a month now. They have been a strong attraction so few butterflies in the gardens until now that most of their blooms have turned to seed.

Meantime my neighbour's bush has started flowering and is now a powerful attractant for all the local butterflies. His bush has very long, large diameter flower spikes. About two feet long and about six inches wide at the widest part of the flower spike. I think I'll ask if I can take a few cuttings from his bush and get them rooted. they root easily in my experience. Those flower spikes are the most impressive I've seen and it would be nice to have a few small plants from it for myself.

During the fine long hot summer of 1959, I severely pruned the Buddleia in my Gloucestershire garden back then. Regrowth produced flower spikes lasting well into November. I saw several Humming Bird Hawkmoths over those flower spikes then. I caught one by putting a glass jar over it whilst hovering. I placed the moth in a small cardboard box and left it there until one warm sunny day the following March. I opened the box allowing the moth to warm itself and it flew away. Four months hibernation...

I did another good deed today... A fully grown Buff Tip larva was hurrying along the footpath at the front of my home. I picked it up and placed it where it would have a better chance of survival before pupating. Had it continued along the footpath, it would almost certainly have met a premature end under someone's shoe.