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Carim Nahaboo
@carim_nahaboo

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Some British mimics and the Hornets/Bees they mimic. There are tons of mimic species in the UK alone, many of which are hoverflies, like the various large Volucella species shown here. Volucella develop as larvae in the nests of Hornets and wasps. The Vespula vulgaris is a Common Wasp and is used for scale. Asilus crabroniformis is the 'Hornet Robberfly' an aerial predator of grasshoppers, other flies, and even sometimes dragonflies. Tabanus sudeticus is the 'Dark Giant Horsefly', Europe's heaviest fly (and probably by far, in the case of females who have fuelled up on cattle or horse blood). Urocerus gigas is a very large species of harmless Sawfly. Tachina grossa can be as large as Bombus Queens sometimes, and are one of the best animals in the world 🙌🏼😌. (Unless you're an Oak Eggar or Fox moth caterpillar as you might have their babies growing inside you). There are also the amazing Hornet Clearwing and Lunar Hornet Clearwing moths in the UK which are pretty convincing mimics in flight, but I only have one old specimen to hand and the colours aren't great. #entomology #mimicry #insectmimic #insect #specimen #wasp #hornet #vespacrabro #volucellazonaria #volucellainanis #hoverfly #tachinagrossa #tabanussudeticus #tabanidae #urocerusgigas #naturalhistory