About Milesia crabroniformis (Fabricius, 1775)
Adults of the hoverfly species Milesia crabroniformis reach a length of 22–25 millimetres (0.87–0.98 inches). This is a rather uncommon hoverfly, and it is the largest among all European hoverfly species. It has a yellow face, reddish femurs, a yellow-brown abdomen, and wings shaded with yellow-orange. Males have holoptic eyes, which meet along the dorsal length of the head at a very low point of contact. This species mimics the hornet Vespa crabro, which is referenced in its Latin name crabroniformis, meaning 'hornet-formed'. It is also very similar to the smaller syrphid species Volucella zonaria. This species occurs mainly in Belgium, France, Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, the Near East, and North Africa.
