Bumblebee Hoverfly

While Pete and Chris were surveying springs near Grantham, I walked a stretch of The Drift SSSI on the border of Lincolnshire and Leicestershire. Flower-rich grassland, veteran trees and plenty of insects kept me occupied, including the first Bumblebee Hoverfly Volucella bombylans that I've seen this summer.  Two common colour forms are present. Var 'bombylans' is black with a red tail, whilst 'plumata' has yellow bands and a white tail.