Helophilus hochstetteri
| Helophilus hochstetteri | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Clade: | Pancrustacea |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Diptera |
| Family: | Syrphidae |
| Genus: | Helophilus |
| Species: | H. hochstetteri |
| Binomial name | |
| Helophilus hochstetteri Nowicki, 1875 | |
Helophilus hochstetteri, commonly called the metallic blue hoverfly, is a species of hoverfly endemic to New Zealand named for its shiny blue colour. It is a pollinator, feeding on nectar.
Taxonomy
First described in 1875 by Maksymilian Nowicki.[1] The genus Helophilus is a diverse genus containing hoverflies mostly from the northern hemisphere with H. hochstetteri being the only one in New Zealand.
There are 6 species of insect belonging to the family Syrphidae in New Zealand including H. hochstetteri.[2]
Distribution and habitat
H. hochstetteri is found all throughout the mainland New Zealand, both the North and South islands. The name of the genus (Helophilus) is derived from Greek meaning "marsh-lover", named for the preferred habitat of the species in this group.[3]
Behaviour
H. hochstetteri is a diurnal species of hoverfly.[5]
H. hochstetteri is often seen on flowers collecting pollen and nectar.[6] In New Zealand H. hochstetteri amongst other flies and solitary bees have been observed pollinating kiwifruit Actinidia chinensis (both var. deliciosa "Hayward" and var. chinensis "Zesy002") as effectively as honeybees.[7]
References
- ↑ Nowicki, M (1875). "Beitrag zur Kenntniss der Dipterenfauna Neu-seelands". natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 2026-08-18.
- ↑ Harrison, R. A. (May 1976). "The arthropoda of the Southern Islands of New Zealand (9) Diptera*". Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 6 (2): 107–152. Bibcode:1976JRSNZ...6..107H. doi:10.1080/03036758.1976.10421469. ISSN 0303-6758.
- ↑ Nendick-Mason, Hannah; Moisset, Beatriz; Entz, Chuck; Sciurorum, Vox; Belov, V.; kbyers; February, zdankoLast updated 27; 2023 - 6:58pm. "Genus Helophilus". www.bugguide.net. Retrieved 2026-08-28.
{{cite web}}:|first7=has generic name (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ↑ "Observations". iNaturalist. Retrieved 2026-08-28.
- ↑ Howlett, B. G.; Read, S. F. J.; Jesson, L. K.; Benoist, A.; Evans, L. E.; Pattemore, D. E. (2017-08-08). "Diurnal insect visitation patterns to 'Hayward' kiwifruit flowers in New Zealand". New Zealand Plant Protection. 70: 52–57. doi:10.30843/nzpp.2017.70.27. ISSN 1179-352X.
- ↑ "Metallic Blue Hover Fly". Taranaki Educational Resource: Research, Analysis and Information Network. Archived from the original on 31 July 2012. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
- ↑ Broussard, M.; Howlett, B.; Evans, L.; McBrydie, H.; Cutting, B.; Read, S.; Pattemore, D. (2022). "Pollinator identity and behavior affect pollination in kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis Planch.)" (PDF). PeerJ. 10 e12963. Bibcode:2022PeerJ..1012963B. doi:10.7717/peerj.12963. PMC 9188772. PMID 35702253.