Species Account for Volucella inanis
Volucella inanis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Diptera: Syrphidae: Syrphidae
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Taxonomic group: hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) - Available county data
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Essex RDB: Listed
Threat: Regionally Important
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Essex Red Data List comment
This species has a national distribution largely centred on London and the south-east extending westwards along the south coast. In Essex it is a local species but by no means rare. It is described as nationally scarce (notable).
Species text
The larvae of this large hoverfly are ectoparasites of social wasp larvae, and have been found in association with Vespula germanica and Vespa crabro. They are found in open areas in woodland and scrub and, most frequently, in suburban areas, in parks and gardens where adults are usually seen visiting flowers, especially white umbels and Buddleja (Ball & Morris, 2000). In some years it is locally abundant in the outer suburbs of London and the surrounding countryside. Although reports indicate that it is expanding its range to the north, it also appears to have contracted eastwards with very few records from central-southern and south-western counties (Stubbs & Falk, 2002). References
Habitats
Recorded management for locations with Volucella inanis
Recorded substrate and hydrology for locations with Volucella inanis
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