Big Beastie ID - Volucella pellucens (Pellucid Hoverfly)

Townie · Big Beastie ID - Volucella pellucens (Pellucid Hoverfly)

Anyone have any idea's what this is... it was HUGE and on my patio table today, I've never seen anything quite like it before.

Having problems uploading pictures for some reason so please find links below to my flickr account where the pics are.. ta

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8296413@N05/3780211351/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8296413@N05/3781027962/

pete_inthehills

I'd call it a drone fly.

pete
inthehills

Townie

Thanks pete, much appreciated, will go and do some research

Townie

Volucella pellucens (Pellucid Hoverfly)

Sometimes called the Pellucid Hoverfly, this is one of the largest flies in Britain. It has a striking ivory-white band across its middle and large dark spots on its wings

Maria

You really do learn somthing new every day being on neeps.

Have also learnt that your (Townie) peppers are ginormous...how are they so big mid june? Mine have only just started to arrive properly...though it's better than my efforts last year where the fruit just shrivelled up and died.

Love your chick pics too....ahhh.

Townie

You do that Maria... this was the stealth bomber of all flies.. it was massive lol

The peppers and chillies have been great this year for some reason, no idea why, theyre just in the greenhouse with the door open wide on hot days, plus they have had no additional feeding.

I gave one of my neighbours a plant last night, she was chuffed to bits

The chicks are coming along nicely now too... lovely wee things, they are.

Diana

We've had a lot of those hoverflies this year - never seen them before. Seem to have had a lot of all kinds of hoverflies and bumble bees this year.

Maria - my peppers have only just started to flower if that makes you feel any better, but it's a bumper year for chillis and aubergines