This solo guzheng piece was created and recorded yesterday, inspired by a little hover fly (photo below) that hung out with me while I worked out on my back porch.
According to Wikipedia:
“Hover flies (aka flower flies or syrphid flies) are often seen hovering or nectaring at flowers; the adults of many species feed mainly on nectar and pollen, while the larvae eat a wide range of foods. In some species, the larvae are saprotrophs, eating decaying plant and animal matter in the soil or in ponds and streams. In other species, the larvae are insectivores and prey on aphids, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects.
Hover flies are important pollinators of flowering plants in many ecosystems worldwide. They are frequent flower visitors to a wide range of wild plants, as well as agricultural crops, and are often considered the second-most important group of pollinators after wild bees. However, relatively little research into fly pollinators has been conducted compared with bee species. Bees are thought to be able to carry a greater volume of pollen on their bodies, but flies may be able to compensate for this by making a greater number of flower visits.
Case study – New Zealand
Main article: Pollinators in New Zealand
More than 40 species of syrphid flies are found in New Zealand in a variety of habitats, including agricultural fields and alpine zones. Two hover fly species in Switzerland are being investigated as potential biological control agents of hawkweeds in New Zealand.
Native hover fly species Melanostoma fasciatum and Melangyna novaezelandiae are common on agricultural fields in New Zealand. Coriander and tansy leaf are particularly attractive to many species of adults, which feed on their pollen. In organic paddocks, hover flies were found to feed on an average of three and a maximum of six different pollens. M. fasciatum has a short proboscis, which restricts it to obtaining nectar from disk flowers.
Syrphid flies are also common visitors to flowers in alpine zones in New Zealand. Native flies in alpine zones show preferences for flower species based on their colour in alpine zones; syrphid flies consistently choose yellow flowers over white regardless of species. However, syrphid flies are not as effective pollinators of alpine herb species as native solitary bees.”
Hope this piece of music and knowledge start a fresh week for you!
Wu Fei 吴非
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