Hornet Mimic Hoverfly

Scientific Name: Volucella zonaria

Order & Family: Order: Diptera; Family: Syrphidae

Size: Large for a fly, typically 18 to 22 mm in length.

Hornet Mimic Hoverfly

Natural Habitat

Found in gardens, parks, and around deciduous woodlands across much of Europe and parts of Asia.

Diet & Feeding

Adults feed on nectar and pollen from flowers. Larvae are scavengers or predators (commensals) in the nests of social wasps and hornets.

Behavior Patterns

Notable for its mimicry of the European hornet (Vespa crabro), though it is harmless. It is an excellent flier capable of hovering in place. Larvae live inside the nests of wasps or hornets, feeding on debris and occasionally the hosts' larvae.

Risks & Benefits

Harmless to humans as it lacks a stinger. Benefits the ecosystem as a significant pollinator and helps keep wasp nests clean by scavenging waste.

Identified on: 5/13/2026