Common Drone Fly
First of the year. Kett's Heights, Norwich - March 2022
The back garden. The diagnostic banana shaped hind tarsi is just visible through the left wing. Norwich - April 2021
Earlham Cemetery, Norwich - March 2021
Earlham Cemetery, Norwich - June 2019
This species is very similar to the Tapered Drone Fly. One of the differences is the 'banana' shaped hind tarsi. If you look carefully through the wing on the above picture, you can see the banana shaped part of the leg. It's very clear on the picture below, highlighted by the yellow of the gorse flower. Lavender Hill, Glandford, Norfolk - April 2019
Drone flies are so called because their markings mimic male, drone, honeybees. This species will emerge on warm winter days. I spotted this one feeding the nectar of gorse on one of the warm days in the second week of February. Mousehold Heath, Norwich - February 2019