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Unfortunately I didn’t have my camera with me, but I spotted a Volucella zonaria at the entrance of a bumblebee nest (Bombus terrestris or B. lucorum I think).

It was seen on the bank of a shaded, hedge-lined walking path leading up to ‘Back Tor’ near Edale in the Peak District, Derbyshire UK, in August this year.

There was a frequent traffic of bees coming and going at the nest entrance and the fly was maybe 30 cm from entrance when I first noticed it. Each time a bee came or went, the fly got quite animated, either walking or making little ‘hops’ closer to the entrance. Sadly, I got called away and when I returned it had gone – either inside or flew off I don’t know.

Just googling I see that V. bombylans uses bumblebee nests but does anyone know of V. zonaria opportunistically using bumblebees as hosts?

Thanks
Chris

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Hi Chris, V. zonaria uses nest of wasps (Vespula germanica & vulgaris and Vespa crabro). See: De Nederlandse Zweefvliegen by Reemer, Zeegers et al. I think they use other social wasps and bees, too.

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Thanks Eric. Yes I was just thinking about the increased frequency of V. zonaria and its northern expansion. I imagine the milder climate is both positive for them and their usual wasp hosts but successfully using nests of common bumblebee might also increase numbers I guess.