volucella inanis
{{Short description|Species of fly}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Volucella inanis - Flickr - gailhampshire (6).jpg
| image_caption = Male
| image2 = Hornet Mimic Hoverfly (Volucella inanis) on Devil's-bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis).JPG
| image2_caption = Female on Succisa pratensis
| taxon = Volucella inanis
| authority = (Linnaeus, 1758)
| synonyms =
}}
File:Lesser hornet hoverfly (Volucella inanis).jpg
Volucella inanis is a species of hoverfly belonging to the family Syrphidae.{{cite book |last1=Stubbs |first1=Alan E |last2=Falk |first2=Steven J |title=British Hoverflies: An Illustrated Identification Guide |date=1983 |publisher=British Entomological and Natural History Society |location=London |isbn=9780950289137 |pages=253 |edition=1st}}
Distribution
This species is present in most of Europe, in eastern Palearctic realm, in the Near East and in North Africa.[https://fauna-eu.org/cdm_dataportal/taxon/ac65e27e-5501-4b7f-8a27-2da791d4d8ce Fauna Europaea]
Description
The adults reach {{convert|15|-|17|mm|abbr=on}} long. They have three yellow bands on an otherwise black abdomen and thus closely resemble wasps in a form of mimicry. The first two bands are completely or partially interrupted by a black wedge. The head has feather-like antennae and the wings have darkened patches in the middle and on the tip.
Biology
Volucella inanis can be encountered from early July to early September, feeding on flowers of species such as yarrow (Achillea millefolium), dill (Anethum graveolens), heather (Erica species), thistles (genera Carduus, Cirsium, and Onopordum) and Buddleja davidii.
The female lays eggs in the nests of social wasps and hornets (Vespa crabro, Vespula germanica, etc.). The larvae of this hoverfly are ectoparasites of larvae of the wasps.{{citation |url=http://www.hoverfly.org.uk/viewtopic.php?t=48|title=Hoverfly|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303235018/http://www.hoverfly.org.uk/viewtopic.php?t=48|archive-date=2016-03-03|url-status=dead}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Commons category-inline|Volucella inanis}}
- [https://www.biolib.cz/en/taxon/id123730/ Biolib]
- {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20120331162503/http://www.opalwestmidlands.org/volucella_hovers/Volucella.html Volucella]}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q1497291}}