Normally I’d expect to see butterflies on my Buddleja ‘Lochinch’ at this time of year. The flowers are in full bloom – a lovely shade of lavender with a central orange eye. There is a Cabbage White fluttering about the shrub, but the current drought conditions are tough for butterflies and there aren’t many about. What has really caught my attention is the number of hoverflies and, in particular, a huge specimen I’ve never seen before.
Hornet mimic hoverfly
I take some photos as it seems totally engrossed with feeding then head indoors to search the web to find out what it might be. No wonder it’s so big! It turns out to be a Hornet Mimic Hoverfly. At almost 2cm long it’s the largest in Britain. Only a very rare visitor to the country up to the 1940s, in recent years it has become more common in southern England and is still spreading northwards (I note a sighting in Cheshire has been recorded). The adults are migratory and the larvae live inside wasp’s nests. It’s rich golden yellow colour is beautiful and the wings are tinged orange. Totally harmless and magnificent.
Hornet mimic hoverfly
I return to the shrub later in the day and it is still there. Then I spot another unusual hoverfly. It’s one I’ve seen before, but not frequently, and it has unusual markings. Black with ivory white banding and black markings on the wings. It’s a Pellucid Hoverfly. Quite a chunky build for a hoverfly, but not as long in the body as the Hornet Mimic.
Pellucid hoverfly
There are other tiny hoverflies darting around the flowers and foliage but they prove impossible to photograph or identify as they are constantly on the move. The bees are more obliging however as a heavy weight Buff-tailed bumblebee flies in and a smaller Tree bumblebee.
Buff-tailed bumblebee
By far the busiest and most prolific bees are the Honeybees – there must be about twenty on the shrub at any one time.
Honeybee
There are also Wasps! Fortunately, all the insects enjoying the buddleja seem too busy to notice me and I sit and wonder at the variety of bug life on one bush.
Wasp
