Help - what kind of insect?

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I saw an interesting insect yesterday but I don't have a clue what it is. Please help me! I really want to know!
Here are some photos:
http://ellerfru.deviantart.com/art/Weir ... -129747673
http://ellerfru.deviantart.com/art/WHAT ... -129749590
It was more than twice the size of an ordinary honey bee and it was bright orange and very pretty, and I haven't ever seen anything like it. So if anyone here knows anything about insects, I'd appreciate the help!

It looks to me like a fly that imitates a bee, but I have no clue where you live, so it would be hard for me to look it up.

Looks a bit like a European Hornet, except I think they're way bigger than the insect pictured.

Thanks for answering.
Someone on deviantart suggested it might be a Hornet Mimic Hoverfly (Volucella zonaria), a fly that imitates wasps and hornets and lays its eggs in their nests.
Very interesting. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volucella_zonaria
Apparently this insect is quite rare. (And not much information can be found online about it, either.) No surprise I didn't recognize it, then. ^^
Angnix, I live in Germany.

Awesome pics of the insect, though I don't know what it is.

BTW, blue-bean, I was LMAO at your avatar! So cool.

i don't know. i think it's beautiful though. weird, though, that the google ad at top is for an exterminating company. ugh.