Is this a hornet or a large hover fly?

[bebeboeuf]

Just flew into the house. It’s ginormous but I can’t see a sting

It's a fly - I'm no expert though

it's a kind of fly
a hornet has a different wing shape

A hornet is about the size of a man's thumb. They're really fucking HUGE. If it's that big, get away from it.

My son thinks its a bee?

hornets have a very similar body shape to wasps - they are just double the size

We live abroad and have hornets. They sound like drones - incredibly loud when in a house. They are also skinner and longer.

It’s not the right wing shape for a bee
It’s not the right eyes for a hover fly, it’s got the eyes of a wasp but I can’t see a sting.

It’s about 2.5cm -3cm long

Bigger than the biggest bumble bee I’ve ever seen

Ooh it’s a fatty isn’t it?
Very unusual looking. I’m guessing a hover fly.
I think if it was a hornet it would look much more waspy.
But I know nowt about owt.

It’s definitely a different shape to a wasp

It was noisy flying but only because it was very clumsy, like a bumble bee

I'd say it was a bee. Hornets are really huge and look like wasps.

Got to be hoverfly

We had one of these in our garden, I sent a picture to the Entomological Society and they replied that it was a horsefly. So get rid of it!

Here is ours

Horseflies are bastards

I think DH has just released it

www.buglife.org.uk/bugs-and-habitats/hornet-hoverfly

Is this your fellow?

@cherith yes that’s the buggar!

He cute and crafty.

Its a Hornet mimic hoverfly

It's just a hover fly which are cute and harmless.