A Stealthy Visitor: The Vestal Cuckoo Bumblebee (Bombus vestalis)
A standout moment for the April log was an encounter with a Vestal Cuckoo Bumblebee, confirmed by the NHM Biodiversity group. It landed right next to me, seemingly preoccupied with a thorough grooming session—I suspect it had tangled with some spider silk, which gave me just enough time to capture some video.
This bee is a specialist parasite of the Buff-tailed Bumblebee (B. terrestris). It doesn't build its own nest or collect pollen; instead, the female enters a host nest, displaces the resident queen, and uses the existing workforce to raise her brood. While its methods are "cuckoo-like," its presence is a testament to a healthy, well-established Buff-tailed colony nearby.
And the video short on Youtube
Vestal Cuckoo Bumblebee (Bombus vestalis) grooming off spider silk.
There's been some good encounters with Bee-flies , this one spent a few seconds feeding from the Lungwort. I'm pretty sure it returned when I wasn't looking.
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| Bombylius major feeding from Pulmonaria Another encounter came with this Vespula vulgaris Queen Wasp. She will be looking for a nest site. 
One has to be there at the right time to get a photo.  |
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| Hawthorn Shield Bug Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale |
The Hairy-footed flower bees have been active on the Pulmonaria, front and back garden. The females feed most often, males mostly watch them.
13.04.2026 Got this good looking Speckled Wood by patience, waiting for it to settle with open wings
21.04.2026 Spotted this interesting Lesser Housefly - Fannia lustrator. Had identification from NHM Biodiversity Facebook group
22/04/2026 This male Helophilus pendulus showed up near the mini pond.
22/4/2026 This is a Blue Mason Bee, It settled briefly while I sat in the garden. Probably a first sighting in the area. iRecord had a problem validating it. Waiting for email confirmation
19/4/2026 This Queen Wasp has been hanging around for a few days, it likes to warm up on the Honeysuckle foliage. Hope it makes a nest elsewhere.
23/4/2026 This Syrphus ribesii stopped flying briefly.
One of our most widespread and abundant hoverflies, occurring in a variety of habitats but perhaps especially woodland. This is the main hoverfly responsible for the mysterious hum that you sometimes hear in a wood (created by thousands of males vibrating their wings as they rest on tree foliage) and males can often be seen hovering in loose swarms beneath the woodland canopy in sunbeams.~ Steven Falk
25.5.2026 Fannia lustrator , a Lesser House Fly
Fannia lustrator is a fly species in the Fanniidae family. At 6.5 to 9.0mm long it is conspicuously larger than other Fanniidae and is similar in size to, or slightly larger than, the house fly, Musca domestica. It is found in the Palearctic. Wikipedia
Fannia lustrator is a fly species in the Fanniidae family. At 6.5 to 9.0mm long it is conspicuously larger than other Fanniidae and is similar in size to, or slightly larger than, the house fly, Musca domestica. It is found in the Palearctic. Wikipedia
.25/04/2026 This Epistrope eligans allowed a photo.
This species can be quite variable in the extent of the yellow striping on its abdomen, some specimens, particularly males, being nearly all black; however the overall pattern is usually similar. ~ Nature Spot
25.04.2026 Right on Cue, St Marks Fly on St Mark's Day.
The St Mark's fly is small, black and shiny. It is so-called because it emerges around St Mark's Day, April 25th. Large numbers of adults can be found in woodland edges, hedgerows, fields and wetlands. ~ Wildlife Trusts.
The St Mark's fly is small, black and shiny. It is so-called because it emerges around St Mark's Day, April 25th. Large numbers of adults can be found in woodland edges, hedgerows, fields and wetlands. ~ Wildlife Trusts.
26.04.2026 This Bombus lapidarius Red Tailed Bumblebee, frantically gathered pollen in the Welsh Poppies.
Bombus lapidarius (Red-tailed bumblebee) queens are large, typically measuring 20–22 mm in length. Workers are smaller, ranging from 11–16 mm, while males are generally 14–16 mm. This species has a distinct velvety black body with a bright orange-red tail and is common in gardens, woodlands, and urban areas, often nesting underground, notes the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Bombus lapidarius (Red-tailed bumblebee) queens are large, typically measuring 20–22 mm in length. Workers are smaller, ranging from 11–16 mm, while males are generally 14–16 mm. This species has a distinct velvety black body with a bright orange-red tail and is common in gardens, woodlands, and urban areas, often nesting underground, notes the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
29.04.2026 This Yellow Dung Fly spotted by Katherine,
The yellow dung fly (Scathophaga stercoraria), also known as the golden dung fly, is a common, 5-11mm insect found in cooler temperate regions. Males are bright golden-yellow with fuzzy, orange-yellow hair, while females are duller green-brown. Adults, often seen on cow dung from March to November, are carnivorous predators. [1, 2, 3, 4]
29.04.2026 This Bellardia sp. A form of House fly Emerald Bottle.
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