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Drone fly;

Volucella elegans

Photo by arlanda
Published on Project Noah
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40.7117, -4.23557

Field Notes

Description:

Female. Syrphidae, Diptera. Nice case of batesian mimetism. It looks like a bumblebee but it is a fly, without sting. The yellow band separating the eyes indicate it is a female. The black marks in teh middle of the wings is distinctive of Volucella elegans.
The female deposits the eggs in bumblebees and social bees nests where the larvae will feed on the hive residues. Adults feed on flowers nectar, as the one in the picture.

Habitat:

Spotted feeding on bramble flowers at Sierra de Guadarrama, El Espinar. Segovia, Spain.

Notes:

Camera Model: NIKON D500. Exposure Time: 1/500 sec.; f/5.6; ISO Speed Rating: 9000. Exposure Bias: 0 EV. Focal Length:300.0 mm. DSC_7628

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