Some sort of hornet I think.

[Outlander]

My wife called me into the garden this evening; she was watching the bees stream in from a busy day. On the Hive was what I expect was some kind of hornet. I beehive it was about 1 ¼ inches my wife thought more like 1 ½ to 1 ¾ I only got a quick glimpse of it whilst swatting at it and missing.. It had a wide defined yellow stripe running down from top of its head in-between its eyes down towards the Jaw. Large triangular wings. Top of the abdomen was a wide orange band then yellow bands broken by slimmer brown band. It was a nice looking thing but I’m sorry next time I won’t miss. Any Idea’s to what this was.

 

[meidel]

did it look like this

 

[garlicpickle]

We saw one today as well, I think they are Volucella zonaria, the hornet-mimic hoverfly.

 

[Silly_Bee]

My wife called me into the garden this evening; she was watching the bees stream in from a busy day. On the Hive was what I expect was some kind of hornet. I beehive it was about 1 ¼ inches my wife thought more like 1 ½ to 1 ¾ I only got a quick glimpse of it whilst swatting at it and missing.. It had a wide defined yellow stripe running down from top of its head in-between its eyes down towards the Jaw. Large triangular wings. Top of the abdomen was a wide orange band then yellow bands broken by slimmer brown band. It was a nice looking thing but I’m sorry next time I won’t miss. Any Idea’s to what this was.

Quite likely. There have been quite a few around this year. They won't harm your bees, even if they manage to enter the hive - unlikely, as those I have seen buzzing around the entrance to my hive are soon sent packing.

They mimic a hornet, allowing them to enter a hornet's nest to lay their eggs. When they hatch, the larvae feed on detritus in the nest. It's a symbiotic relationship, not a parasitic one. The larvae get protection and food. The hornets get a live-in cleaner. Neat.

 

[Outlander]

did it look like this

I think that was it. I have never seen one before and if harmless im glad i missed it
.

 

[Outlander]

Thank everyone it's put my mind at rest and I will not be patrolling the haves all day tomorrow.

 

[psafloyd]

Saw a (European) hornet about six feet from a nuc I have temporarily in my garden. I saw it from about 15ft away, as I'd never seen one near my bees or in my garden, so it stood out like a sore thumb.

It flew about a bit, landed on the front, had a squint at the entrance and then left empty mandibled... Still, no doubt it will be back.

Also had a couple of dragon or damsel flies in the garden. Couldn't tell which as I only saw them for a few seconds. Never seen them before as we're not near any water. Strange?

 

[Swarm]

The head is always the give away.

 

[BeeKeeper123]

Or a Syrphid fly look it up in google and let me know as I think I have lots round by me at the moment and keen to see if you have them as well

 

[psafloyd]

Definitely a hornet, not a hover fly of any kind. It's behaviour was predatory and I knew it when I saw it.

As for the damsel/dragonfly, I never saw it at rest, only briefly on the wing.