Volucella Explained
Volucella is a genus of large, broad-bodied, dramatic hover-flies. They have distinctive plumose aristae and the face is extended downward.[1] They are strongly migratory and males are often territorial. Adults feed on nectar of flowers and are often seen sunning on leaves. The larvae of most species live in nests of bumblebees and social wasps, where they are detritivores and larval predators.[2]
Selected species
- Volucella anastasia Hull, 1946
- Volucella arctica Johnson, 1916[3]
- Volucella bombylans (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Volucella dracaena Curran
- Volucella elegans Loew, 1862
- Volucella eugenia Williston, 1887
- Volucella evecta Walker, 1852 [3]
- Volucella facialis Williston, 1882 [3]
- Volucella inanis (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Volucella inflata (Fabricius, 1794)
- Volucella jeddona Bigot, 1875
- Volucella linearis Walker, 1849[4]
- Volucella liquida Erichson in Wagner, 1841
- Volucella lutzi Curran, 1930
- Volucella matsumurai Han & Choi, 2001[4]
- Volucella nigricans Coquillett, 1898
- Volucella nigropicta Portschinsky, 1884
- Volucella pellucens (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Volucella plumatoides Hervé-Bazin, 1923
- Volucella suzukii Matsumura, 1916 [4]
- Volucella tau Bigot, 1883
- Volucella unipunctata Curran, 1926
- Volucella zonaria (Poda, 1761)
Notes and References
- Book: Coe, R.L.. 1953 . Diptera: Syrphidae, Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects Vol 10 Pt 1. 98pp . Royal Entomological Society of London.
- Book: Stubbs, Alan E. . Falk, Steven J. . amp . 1983 . British Hoverflies: An Illustrated Identification Guide. 253, xvpp . British Entomological & Natural History Society.
- Book: Skevington, Jeffrey H . 2019 . Field Guide to the Flower Flies of Northeastern North America. . 9780691189406 .
- Web site: Katsuyoshi. Ichige. Japanese Hoverfly photograph collection. https://archive.today/20121206041952/http://homepage2.nifty.com/syrphidae/flame2_e.htm. dead. 6 December 2012. Mito-city, Japan. 5 August 2009.
