ID help, im completly stumped!

[vegan_girl]

Hello!

i was looking out of the window at work at a tree with blossom and i saw something i have never ever seen before.

It looked like a bee/wasp/fly hybrid.
it was around an inch long, quite a wide, flat body that was yellow and black striped on its bum and the rest of it was black. It didnt look like it had an obviously segmented body, it had huge eyes, 6 legs and it was licking pollen. It didnt look fluffy like a bee. Its wings were big and stuck out slightly. The begining of the wings were yellow but then faded out to a normal clear, slightly gray colour.

Ive looked at 900 of your photos and i cant find anything that resembles it.

Im in the midlands if that helps?

[tcvarlh]

I'm wondering if you had a Hover Fly (Chrysotoxum cautum)
Pity you have no picture.


h

And welcome to WAB

[tcvarlh]

Try looking thru' this subfamily Syrphinae

h

[Geoff F]

There are a few Chrysotoxum species around at the moment. They are quite bright and glossy in appearance.

But as an alternative, based partly on size, have a look at Volucella zonaria which is large and has similar wing markings.

Originally, chiefly a south east species but it has been spreading northwards. Still rather uncommon though.

Sericomyia silentis may also be worth a look.

[tcvarlh]

As I live in the Midlands I shall have to keep my eyes open for V. zonaria. I know it from Home but I did not know it had achieved the British Isles. Thanks for the info Geoff F I always liked Hoverflies, poor critters get swatted as Wasps.

h

[Geoff F]

I found a V. inflata last month (Devon) which was a first for me; but I'm still searching for a V. zonaria.