Wasp mimics

As the season wears on I see more of these large Wasp / Hornet mimic hoverflies, presumably to coincide with the increase in numbers of wasps and Hornets.
This absolute beauty is Volucella inanis, a wonderful large queen wasp mimic. I see a lot of these hover flies around Sussex where I live, with all 5 British members of the family Volucella present.
They are parasites of wasp larvae and the larger V. zonaria (which has a brown first abdominal segment on the underside) usually parasitises the larvae of Hornets!
They have real character, and will chase you about, making you take a double look just to make sure it isn't a Hornet or Wasp!!

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