#calligrapher fly

[mothmansfather]

Toxomeres geminatus, a lovely little hoverfly bee mimic with the enigmatic common name Eastern Calligrapher.

Rye, NH / 28 October 2025

iNaturalist entry

[rabbitmilk]

4.27.25

Margined Calligrapher fly on Balsam Ragwort at the cemetery

[stopandlook]

Scientific Name: Toxomerus geminatus Common Name(s): Eastern calligrapher Family: Syrphidae (hover fly) Life Stage(s): Adult Location: Plano, Texas Season(s): Spring

Female, based on the abdomen’s shape.

Female calligrapher flies (Toxomerus species) have abdomens that taper to a point at the rear, while the males’ abdomens end with a blunt or rounded tip. Additionally, the eyes on females are separated by a gap on the dorsal (top) side of the head, but the eyes on males touch each other there.

This species is essentially identical in appearance to the western calligrapher (Toxomerus occidentalis), and the two cannot be readily distinguished except by location: T. geminatus are found east of the Rocky Mountains, and T. occidentalis from the Rockies to the Pacific coast. Although the literature indicates both species exist in Texas (see BugGuide here and here), there are no observations on iNaturalist of T. occidentalis east of Colorado, and in any case I think the Dallas area should be far enough east to be reasonably confident that T. geminatus is the correct species for this individual.

[onenicebugperday]

Eastern calligrapher fly, Toxomerus geminatus, Syrphidae (Hover Flies)

Found in the eastern half of North America

Photos by Katja Schulz aka treegrow

[horsebeast]

[bugsoupforthesoul]

Margined Calligrapher fly

(Toxomerus marginatus)

[click for better quality]

[horsebeast]

[onenicebugperday]

@petticoatedmouse submitted: I’ve been trying to submit all the bugs I found on walks with my dog but Tumblr wasn’t letting me…

If any could be IDed, I’d greatly appreciate it, but no worries if not (all found in NJ, USA)

Here they are!

Buncha cuties! The first is a common European greenbottle fly. The second is a sawfly, which are related to wasps, though I don’t recognize the species offhand. And the third looks like a calligrapher fly, which is a type of hover fly :)