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applestar
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Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Startling (might be scary) but harmless garden visitors

Image

This large flying insect came up from behind me and then proceeded to hover in mid-air.

It was right in front of me — large ... about 1 inch. Making loud humming noises. I couldn’t see the fast-moving wings but could see the body clearly — it held so still — so of course I dug out my cell phone to take pictures. At first I thought hornet or cicada killer wasp, but the eyes were obviously fly eyes.

It let me take bunch of photos including live-photos (I wish I could share them). So I was able to ID it.

Species Milesia virginiensis - Yellowjacket Hover Fly - BugGuide.Net
https://bugguide.net/node/view/2837
Milesia virginiensis (Drury 1773)
Size 18-21 mm

Identification
Large syrphid that resembles a hornet; has much lighter wings, wider dark bands on abdomen than M. scutellata(1)
believed to be a mimic of the Southern Yellowjacket



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