The Margined Calligrapher: Toxomerus marginatus
Bugging Out!
The Margined Calligrapher is also known as the Flower Fly or Hover Fly. These small flies can be found in Canada, the U.S., and Mexico. Although these flies can be referred to as “sweat bees” in layman’s terms. This is misleading because they are not bees and they do not drink sweat. You can distinguish these from bees because they have only two wings. Bees and wasps have four wings. There is a saying: “two wings fun, four wings run.” When you see these little creatures, you should remember that they pose no threat to you and can not sting you. They are friends rather than pests.
Image source: https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/2048760
The Margined Calligrapher is also known as the Flower Fly or Hover Fly. These small flies can be found in Canada, the U.S., and Mexico. Although these flies can be referred to as “sweat bees” in layman’s terms. This is misleading because they are not bees and they do not drink sweat. You can distinguish these from bees because they have only two wings. Bees and wasps have four wings. There is a saying: “two wings fun, four wings run.” When you see these little creatures, you should remember that they pose no threat to you and can not sting you. They are friends rather than pests.
Image source: https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/2048760
Can They Hurt Me?
The Margined Calligrapher a.k.a. the Hover Fly are often confused with stinging insects such as bees and wasps because of their distinct color pattern. Repetitive black and yellow striping on bugs indicates a danger to most animals and the Hover Fly uses this pattern as an evolutionary advantage. The mimicry of bees and wasps gives Hover Flies a defense mechanism against predators that have learned to avoid these types of bugs. These flies are often overlooked due to their similarity to bees and wasps, and they are not treated as gently as they treat people.
This is a zoomed in photo of the Hover Fly sitting on my hand!
Image source: Noah Berner- August 2020
The Margined Calligrapher a.k.a. the Hover Fly are often confused with stinging insects such as bees and wasps because of their distinct color pattern. Repetitive black and yellow striping on bugs indicates a danger to most animals and the Hover Fly uses this pattern as an evolutionary advantage. The mimicry of bees and wasps gives Hover Flies a defense mechanism against predators that have learned to avoid these types of bugs. These flies are often overlooked due to their similarity to bees and wasps, and they are not treated as gently as they treat people.
This is a zoomed in photo of the Hover Fly sitting on my hand!
Image source: Noah Berner- August 2020
FLOWER POWER!
The Margined Calligrapher plays multiple important roles in its ecosystem and in our agricultural business. Firstly, the Margined Calligrapher is a pollinator. These little flies are responsible for pollinating large amounts of corn and soybean fields. The diet of the Hover Fly gives it another important and extremely beneficial role in our environment. Hover Flies eat large numbers of larval aphids in fields. Aphids are pests that can destroy crops in many fields. Because of this diet, Hover Flies act as all-natural pesticides in fields. For this reason, their presence in agricultural systems should be celebrated. Hover Flies are also attracted to flowers. Their presence in your garden could be the boost that your flowers were looking for!
Image Source: https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/4039863
Man's Best Friend?
The Margined Calligrapher is one of many species of Hover Flies that have an important role in their ecosystem. This species of flies is often considered to be an annoyance to people because they like to land on people’s exposed skin, which in turn makes the person think that they are going to be bit or stung. Because of this thought, it is many people’s reaction to swat at or shoo away the flies. Many bug enthusiasts argue that these creatures are extremely friendly and that when you let them land on you, they can be very gentle and relaxing. For these reasons, Hover Flies are the favorites of many. The next time that a Hover Fly lands on you, give it a chance to impress you with how fragile and trusting of a creature it is.
Image source: https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/5495132
References:
https://extension.entm.purdue.edu/publications/HN-94.pdf
https://www.insectidentification.org/insect-description.asp?identification=Flower-Fly-Toxomerus-Marginatus
https://marylandgrows.umd.edu/2019/06/17/is-this-a-pollinator-five-types-of-pollinating-insects-you-can-find-in-maryland/
http://fieldnotesjoewalewski.blogspot.com/2016/06/margined-calligrapher-hover-fly.html
https://friendsoftheearth.uk/bee-count/insects-that-look-like-bees
https://sites.tufts.edu/pollinators/files/2020/05/TPI-hoverflieshandout_logo.pdf
https://www.inaturalist.org/posts/14985-identifying-toxomerus-hoverflies
https://extension.entm.purdue.edu/publications/HN-94.pdf
https://www.insectidentification.org/insect-description.asp?identification=Flower-Fly-Toxomerus-Marginatus
https://marylandgrows.umd.edu/2019/06/17/is-this-a-pollinator-five-types-of-pollinating-insects-you-can-find-in-maryland/
http://fieldnotesjoewalewski.blogspot.com/2016/06/margined-calligrapher-hover-fly.html
https://friendsoftheearth.uk/bee-count/insects-that-look-like-bees
https://sites.tufts.edu/pollinators/files/2020/05/TPI-hoverflieshandout_logo.pdf
https://www.inaturalist.org/posts/14985-identifying-toxomerus-hoverflies