VOLUCELLA the arista is densely feathered. Cell R1 in the wing is closed before the wing border. Introduction Key Volucella are encountered in and along the edges of deciduous forests, where the 1.a. Thorax and scutellum with short, males hover at several metres above the adpressed hairs; abdomen black and yel- ground. V. zonaria is associated with urban low or black and white; scutellum with areas in The Netherlands, with many sight- bristles at hind margin › 2 ings on Buddleia in gardens. It is a strongly 1.b. Thorax and abdomen with long migratory species, and probably tries to dense hairs, bumblebee mimic; establish populations north of the range abdomen black, seldom with orange where it is able to hibernate each year. spots on tergite 2; scutellum without Adult Volucella forage on umbelliferae and bristles at hind margin. 11-15 mm. several flowering shrubs (e.g. Crataegus, Europe, in Asia to Japan, Nearctic › Ligustrum). They are also found sunning Linnaeus themselves on leaves. Jizz: broad and hairy, scutellum black; a number of The larvae live in the nests of bumblebees colour forms are recognized; and social wasps, where they are detritivores a. typical. Hairs on thorax and first part of and larval predators. The exception is prob- abdomen black, tip of abdomen with reddish hairs; ably V. inflata, whose larvae appear to be b. plumata. Hairs on thorax yellowish, mostly with inhabitants of tunnels made by other black hairs on the part behind the head, hairs on in which sap and faeces/tree humus base of abdomen yellow, on its tip white, with provide a sub-aqueous mix (Speight, 2003). black hairs in between; c. haemorrhoidalis. As plumata, but tip of abdomen with reddish hairs. Recognition 2.a. Tergites: yellow with black bands (fig- Volucella are large, broad-bodied hover- ure 779) › 3 . The face is extended downwards and 2.b. Tergites: tergite 2 with yellow or white markings, tergites 3 and 4 black (figure 780) › 4

figure 779. , habitus of male figure 780. , habitus of (Verlinden). male (Verlinden).

223 3.a. Thoracic dorsum reddish-yellow, 4.a. Thoracic dorsum black, at the side shiny; tergites shiny, yellow, with dark margin turning brownish; thoracic hairs bands at the hind margin of tergites 2 mostly black; tergite 2 with white spots, and 3; sternite 2 black with yellow hind which may turn yellowish. Male: mouth margin (figure 781). 18-20 mm. Central edge not elongated downwards (figure and Southern Europe, North Africa, in 783). Female: eyes narrowly separated Asia into Japan, highly migratory › (figure 785). 13-18 mm. Europe, in Asia Poda into Japan, Oriental region › Volucella Jizz: large, broad and yellow and red, with striking pellucens Linnaeus yellow face. 3.b. Thoracic dorsum blackish, dull; ter- gites dull, yellow, with dark bands at the 783. hind margin of tergites 2, 3 and (often) 4; sternite 2 yellow (figure 782). 15-16 mm. Europe, in Asia to Pacific coast › Volucella inanis Linnaeus Jizz: smaller, dull zonaria, thoracic dorsum blackish.

not elongated 781.

784.

blackish

elongated

figure 783. Volucella pellucens, head of male. figure 784. , head of male (Verlinden). 782. 785.

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786. yellowish broad figure 781. Volucella zonaria, abdomen from below. figure 785. Volucella pellucens, head of figure 782. Volucella inanis, abdomen from female, top view. below (Verlinden). figure 786. Volucella inflata, head of female, top view (Verlinden).

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