margined calligrapher
(Toxomerus marginatus)
Conservation • Description • Habitat • Biology • Distribution • Taxonomy
Conservation Status |
|
|||||||
| IUCN Red List | not listed |
|||||||
| NatureServe | NNR - Unranked |
|||||||
| Minnesota | not listed |
|||||||
Description |
||
Sryphid flies are considered beneficial because they prey on insects that attack ornamental plants and crops. Margined calligrapher is a small calligrapher fly. Its coloration of the margined calligrapher is an example of Batesian mimicry, resembling the warning coloration of stinging bees and wasps. Margined calligrapher is identified by the small, round, black spot near the tip of the abdomen. The eyes of the male margined calligrapher meet at the top of the head. The eyes of the female do not. |
||
Size |
||
|
||
Similar Species |
||
Habitat |
||
|
||
Biology |
||
Season |
||
April to November |
||
Behavior |
||
Adults can often be seen hovering over plants, a favorite activity that gives this family one of it’s common names. |
||
Life Cycle |
||
|
||
Larva Food |
||
Aphids, scales, thrips, and caterpilars of both butterflies and moths |
||
Adult Food |
||
Pollen, nectar, and honeydew. |
||
Distribution |
||||
|
Sources |
|||
| 10/5/2022 | ||||
Occurrence |
||||
Common to abundant |
||||
Taxonomy |
|||
Order |
Diptera (flies) | ||
Suborder |
Brachycera (circular-seamed flies, muscoid flies, short-horned flies) | ||
| Infraorder | Cyclorrhapha | ||
| Zoosection | Aschiza | ||
Superfamily |
Syrphoidea | ||
Family |
Syrphidae (hover flies) | ||
Subfamily |
Syrphinae (typical hover flies) | ||
Tribe |
Toxomerini | ||
Genus |
Toxomerus (calligrapher flies) | ||
Synonyms |
|||
|
|||
Common Names |
|||
margined calligrapher |
|||
Visitor Photos |
|||||
Share your photo of this insect. |
|||||
| This button not working for you? Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Attach one or more photos and, if you like, a caption. |
|||||
Alfredo Colon |
|||||
 |
|||||
 |
 |
||||
Maureen Burkle |
|||||
male |
|||||
 |
|||||
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos |
|||||
Female |
|||||
 |
 |
||||
Slideshows |
||
Visitor Videos |
|||
Share your video of this insect. |
|||
| This button not working for you? Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Attach a video, a YouTube link, or a cloud storage link. |
|||
Other Videos |
|||
Visitor Sightings |
|||||
Report a sighting of this insect. |
|||||
| This button not working for you? Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Be sure to include a location. |
|||||
| Alfredo Colon 8/2/2022 |
Location: Albany, NY |
|
|||
| Maureen Burkle July 2021 |
Location: Olmsted County |
|
|||
| Alfredo Colon 6/4/2021 |
Location: Woodbury, MN |
|
|||
| Alfredo Colon 7/23/2018 |
Location: Woodbury, MN |
|
|||
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings |
|||||
Last Updated: