Large hoverfly Volucella zonaria on a mission

Lord Vetinari · October 1, 2019

I spotted this beautiful hoverfly when I was photographing some out of season bottlebrush flowers in my front garden. She stayed on the bottle brush a while then flew further down the border and landed on a mollis azalea. it was then I realised she was on a mission as a few feet further on there is a wasp's nest in the ground. She flew closer landing on a tree peony leaf just above the entrance. then closer to the ground before land just outside the wasp nest entrance. She stayed there a while checking whether the wasps were taking any notice before starting to walk in.
Her mission was to get into the wasps nest to lay her eggs where the larvae feed on detritus from the decaying wasp's nest. The biggest surprise though was when she walked past another Volucella zonaria coming out having completed her egg laying.
Altogether a wonderful event to witness.

sony A6000/ sigma 105 OS natural light.

Brian V.

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