Toxomerus occidentalis

Toxomerus occidentalis
Toxomerus occidentalis female
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Diptera
Family:	Syrphidae
Genus:	Toxomerus
Species:	T. occidentalis
Binomial name
Toxomerus occidentalis Curran, 1922

Toxomerus occidentalis (Curran,1922) the Western Calligrapher, is a common species of syrphid fly found in western North America from British Columbia south to California, Colorado and Texas. Syrphid flies are also known as Hover Flies or Flower Flies because the adults are frequently found hovering around flowers from which they feed on nectar and pollen. Adults look very similar to the Eastern Calligrapher.The larvae are predators of a variety of aphids and mites. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

• Female Western Calligrapher on zinnia taking pollen and nectar. Insert shows entire visit at 3X speed. Some portions of main video shown at one-tenth speed.

References

1. Vockeroth, J. R. (1992). The flower flies of the subfamily Syrphinae of Canada, Alaska, and Greenland: Diptera:Syrphidae. Ottawa, Canada: Centre for Land and Biological Resources Research, Research Branch, Agriculture Canada. p. 456. ISBN   0-660-13830-1.
2. Vockeroth, J.R. (1987). Manual of Nearctic Diptera, Volume 2 (PDF). Canada: Research Branch, Agriculture Canada. p. 668. ISBN   0-660-12125-5.
3. Williston, S.W. (1887). "Synopsis of the North American Syrphidae". Bulletin of the United States National Museum. 31: 1–335. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .