Anyone know what this is?

[Mac]

Hi All,

does anyone know what type of fly or beastie this is? It's a bit bigger than a blue bottle, and was in my kitchen (that's it on the window not on the gate!). We've seen a couple in the garden, but can't find any pictures of a similar beastie in any reference books!

[Flummery]

I'm thinking Bee-fly? They do look amazingly like bees but are flies.

[Mac]

Hi Flummery, have looked at some pictures of Bee-flies and I'm not sure. It's not hairy at all and has a white "belt" all the way round it's middle?? Looks and acts like a fly.

[ginger ninger]

Could it be a hybrid ??? Dosn't look like any other fly i've ever seen before...

[Hazel at the Hill]

Hi All,

does anyone know what type of fly or beastie this is? It's a bit bigger than a blue bottle, and was in my kitchen (that's it on the window not on the gate!). We've seen a couple in the garden, but can't find any pictures of a similar beastie in any reference books!

My - what clean windows!

[Mac]

Thank you Hazel! Must be a window cleaning fly, cos I haven't touched them!

[Mac]

Managed to find it on the inter-web! It's a Volucella Pellucens!!!!!! A sort of hover fly! Very cool, and I've never seen one before. Our new garden is a host for lots of interesting new wildlife. Thanks for your help (and the nice comment about clean window! - it's the only one the dog can't woof and spit at!)

[Two_Sheds]

I guessed some kind of hoverfly, so I looked those up, and got this Volucella pellucens

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. Its larvae live in bumble bee nests eating waste products and the bee larvae.

[Mac]

Thanks Two Sheds, guess we looked up the same place! We've got a bumble bee nest in the wall outside the kitchen door so I'm guessing that's their food supply. No one I've asked about it up here has ever seen one.

[Nicos]

Thanks for the name!!!!

I can never remember all the names- so they get classified here as goodies or baddies- and that's already in my goodie list......kills bees???...that's not so good then !!!

Pretty isn't it??

[HeyWayne]

Glad you pointed out the whole window/gate thing. I nearly sh@t meself when I saw it - thought it was huge! Then read the post.

Relaxed.

[Nicos]

You'd have needed a tin of this flyspay Wayne!!!!!.....

http://users.skynet.be/J.Beever/images/fly.jpg

[Finedon.Dandy]

rotfl @ HW!

[Mac]

Didn't think about the gate thing when taking the pic, giant beasties in Aberdeenshire!! Dont' think it kills bees Nicos, just tidies up the dead or dying ones at the bottom of the nest.

[HeyWayne]

I'm just glad it wasn't on the chicken I was eating t'other night!!