Trash Dove Must Be Stopped

The Criorhina ranunculi is a large and very convincing bumblebee mimic. Its dense, shaggy coat and somewhat rounded shape make it easy to mistake at first glance for a small bumblebee, but its hovering flight and large fly-like eyes reveal that it is in fact a hoverfly.

It appears in early spring and is often seen visiting flowering willow, where it feeds on nectar and pollen. The flight period is short, and encounters with the species are therefore easy to miss.

The larvae develop in decaying wood inside rot holes in mature broad-leaved trees, which means the species is closely associated with older woodland and traditional landscapes where such trees are allowed to remain.

Although the species occurs across much of Europe, it has long been considered rare in Sweden and is strongly linked to habitats rich in old hollow trees. In Värmland it has historically been very seldom recorded. The individual shown in these photographs, taken in spring 2025 while visiting flowering willow, was the first I have ever observed here.