Mimicry...

Once again I drove Pete and Chris to Gamlingay Wood, and while they worked I meandered along the main ride, where the devil's-bit scabious was blooming profusely. For the first time this year there was an abundance of hoverflies, including good numbers of several large and showy species: Volucella pellucens, Eristalis intricarius, Sericomyia silentis and, largest of all, this Volucella inanis.

Many of the hoverflies are Batesian mimics, gaining protection from their similarity to bees and wasps, which birds and other predators tend to avoid. Volucella inanis mimics the hornet, and does a remarkably good job. Even its loud throbbing buzz is similar, although its habit of sitting around on flowers is a bit of a give away - hornets tend to quarter the area looking for prey and rarely settle.