''Volucella'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of large, broad-bodied, dramatic hover-flies. They have distinctive plumose aristae and the face is extended downward. They are strongly migratory and males are often

territorial A territory is an area of land, sea, or space, belonging or connected to a particular country, person, or animal. In international politics, a territory is usually a geographic area which has not been granted the powers of self-government, ...

. Adults feed on nectar of flowers and are often seen sunning on leaves. The

larva A larva (; : larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into their next life stage. Animals with indirect development such as insects, some arachnids, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase ...

e of most species live in nests of bumblebees and social wasps, where they are

detritivore Detritivores (also known as detrivores, detritophages, detritus feeders or detritus eaters) are heterotrophs that obtain nutrients by consuming detritus (decomposing plant and animal parts as well as feces). There are many kinds of invertebrates, ...

s and larval predators.

Selected species

*''

Volucella abdita ''Volucella'' is a genus of large, broad-bodied, dramatic hover-fly, hover-flies. They have distinctive Wiktionary:plumose, plumose Arista (biology), aristae and the face is extended downward. They are strongly Insect migration, migratory and mal ...

'' Violovich, 1978 *'' Volucella anastasia'' Hull, 1946 *'' Volucella arctica''

Johnson Johnson may refer to: People and fictional characters *Johnson (surname), a common surname in English * Johnson (given name), a list of people * List of people with surname Johnson, including fictional characters *Johnson (composer) (1953–2011) ...

, 1916 *'' Volucella bombylans'' (

Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné,#Blunt, Blunt (2004), p. 171. was a Swedish biologist and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the modern system of naming o ...

1758 Events January–March * January 1 – Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus (Carl von Linné) publishes in Stockholm the first volume (''Animalia'') of the 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'', the starting point of modern zoologic ...

) *'' Volucella dracaena'' Curran *'' Volucella elegans'' Loew, 1862 *'' Volucella eugenia'' Williston, 1887 *'' Volucella evecta''

Walker Walker or The Walker may refer to: People *Walker (given name) *Walker (surname) *Walker (Brazilian footballer) (born 1982), Brazilian footballer Places In the United States *Walker, Arizona, in Yavapai County *Walker, Mono County, California * ...

, 1852 *'' Volucella facialis'' Williston, 1882 *''

Volucella flavizona ''Volucella'' is a genus of large, broad-bodied, dramatic hover-flies. They have distinctive plumose aristae and the face is extended downward. They are strongly migratory and males are often territorial. Adults feed on nectar of flowers and ...

'' Cheng, 2012 *''

Volucella galbicorpus ''Volucella'' is a genus of large, broad-bodied, dramatic hover-flies. They have distinctive plumose aristae and the face is extended downward. They are strongly migratory and males are often territorial. Adults feed on nectar of flowers and ...

'' Cheng, 2012 *'' Volucella inanis'' (

) *'' Volucella inflata'' ( Fabricius, 1794) *'' Volucella jeddona'' Bigot, 1875 *'' Volucella latifasciata'' Cheng, 2012 *'' Volucella linearis''

, 1849 *'' Volucella liquida'' Erichson in Wagner, 1841 *'' Volucella lutzi'' Curran, 1930 *'' Volucella matsumurai'' Han & Choi, 2001 *'' Volucella nigricans'' Coquillett, 1898 *'' Volucella nigropicta'' Portschinsky, 1884 *'' Volucella pellucens'' (

) *'' Volucella plumatoides'' Hervé-Bazin, 1923 *'' Volucella suzukii'' Matsumura, 1916 *'' Volucella tau'' Bigot, 1883 *'' Volucella unipunctata'' Curran, 1926 *'' Volucella zonaria'' ( Poda, 1761)

Gallery

File:Humleblomfluga02054.jpg, '' Volucella bombylans'' var. ''bombylans'' female File:Volucella bombylans.jpg, ''Volucella bombylans'' var. ''plumata'' female File:Volucella inanis 20020718.jpg, '' Volucella inanis'' female File:Volucella pellucens, 2006-07-22.JPG, '' Volucella pellucens'' female File:Volucella fg05.jpg, '' Volucella inflata'' female File:Volucella September 2007-2.jpg, '' Volucella zonaria'' female

References

Diptera of Asia Diptera of Europe Hoverfly genera Taxa named by Étienne Louis Geoffroy {{Eristalinae-stub