ONH

Volucella Bumble Bee Mimic

Volucella facialis

  • 1100863
  • 3303
  • 2013-06-03
  • 1110201
  • 1110213
  • 1110228
  • 1110271
  • 6149
  • 6148
  • Content Slide
  • 1100863
    1 - Volucella Bumble Bee Mimic, Volucella facialis, on oxeye daisy.

    06/01/2013 Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge, Washington

  • 3303
    2 - Volucella Bumble Bee Mimic, closeup showing the feathery antenna.

    06/01/2013 Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge, Washington

  • 2013-06-03
    3 - Volucella Bumble Bee Mimic on Vaccinium sp.. Still from video.

    06/03/2013 Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge, Washington

  • 1110201
    4 - Volucella Bumble Bee Mimic with its proboscis in a flower of Vaccinium sp..

    06/03/2013 Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge, Washington

  • 1110213
    5 - Volucella Bumble Bee Mimic showing the pattern on the wings.

    06/03/2013 Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge, Washington

  • 1110228
    6 - Volucella Bumble Bee Mimic with its proboscis extended.

    06/03/2013 Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge, Washington

  • 1110271
    7 - Volucella Bumble Bee Mimic.

    06/03/2013 Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge, Washington

  • 6149
    8 - Volucella Bumble Bee Mimic.

    05/26/2006 Heart O' the Hills Area, Olympic National Park, Washington

  • 6148
    9 - Volucella Bumble Bee Mimic.

    05/26/2006 Heart O' the Hills Area, Olympic National Park, Washington

  • Content Slide

10 - Volucella Bumble Bee Mimic feeding.

Volucella bumble bee mimics lay eggs in bumble bee nests. The larvae scavenge in the nests, and only occasionally eat bumble bee larvae. Only three species occur in North America. These photos have been identified as Volucella facialis on bugguide. Adults apparently mimic the bumble bee species Bombus edwardsii and Bombus sylvicola (Bumble Bees and Cuckoo Bumble Bees of California).