Blue With Orange Trimmings

A New Zealand native metallic blue hover fly, Helophilus hochstetteri, on an Allium flower. The brilliant blue abdomen is hidden by its wings.

Over night and for most of the day a loud and cold nor’wester gale has been raging. No damage here, but places nearby lost their power for a few hours due to downed lines. Late afternoon the clouds thinned to reveal a fresh fall of snow on the mountains.