Exotic hoverfly spotted at Trust's Cambourne office
A beautiful Hornet Hoverfly was spotted at the Wildlife Trust offices in Cambourne this week by an eagle-eyed member of staff.
Chief Executive Brian Eversham said: “Until recently it was a rare migrant, which started breeding in the London area in the 1940s. In the last 20 years it has spread north and is now established in our area. I see it is as a sign of global warming, along with other southern, exotic-looking species such as the wasp spider.
“Local people should watch out for it, and not be afraid - it’s totally harmless, has no sting or bite, and I think it looks lovely as it visits our gardens to feed on flowers.”
David Jones, who found the hoverfly, said: “It was definitely a very interesting find. I’ve certainly never seen a hoverfly as big as that before.”
The Hornet Hoverfly is the largest hoverfly in Britain and breeds inside wasp and hornet nests, where its larvae are scavengers and predators on the wasp or hornet grubs.