Hover Fly, Helophilus fasciatus
On a warm March spring day, early pollinators can be seen visiting flowers. Honey bees are active if it is warm. Many of the early pollinators are Diptera. The hover fly, Helophilus fasciatus,(Diptera: Syrphidae) is a bee mimic active in early spring. Its mimicry protects it from spring predators such as robins. This hover fly is resting on boxwood, an evergreen shrub that produces tiny flowers in spring. Hover flies are not hairy like bees and their smooth body makes them inefficient pollinators.
