Margined Calligrapher Fly

Here's a small fly that's generally considered beneficial, the Margined Calligrapher. (Or maybe I should say Margined Calligrapher.) Similar to their Eastern Calligrapher cousins, they are hover flies that mimic bees to appear more dangerous than they actually are. As adults they're harmless pollinators, though in their wild and crazy youth they were known to attack small invertebrates like aphids.

Usually the little tip at the end of the abdomen has more black on it. I've read that some relatives will look lighter if it was warm during their pupal stage; perhaps this fella pupated during a warm stretch?

June 8, 2022 at Duke Farms
Photo 209834396, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)


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