WildBristol.uk - Discovering Wildlife in Bristol

Habitat includes: Hedgerows, woodland edge, wasteland, cemeteries, gardens, parks, allotments. Two main varieties which mimic different species of bumblebee, Var. bombylans (Orang/red tail) and Var. plumata (White tail). Flight period: May to September, peaking in June. Female lays its eggs in the nests of bumblebees and wasps where the larvae feed on debris and sometimes the bee larvae.