One of the larger hoverflies and mimics the Honey Bee, Apis mellifera. Often confused with E. tenax and E. similis, but on closer examination, E. pertinax has an entirely orange front tarsus (unlike both of the other species) and the hind tibia is pale in the basal half (unlike tenax).
Distribution: This is a common and widely distributed species throughout the UK; in fact it is often the most abundant hoverfly wherever there are suitable flowers.
Flight period: March to November, with peaks in May and August.
Visits a wide range of flowers, very often in company with the very honey bees it mimics. The males commonly hover in woodland clearings, aggressively defending territories as small as a few metres square.
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