Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Clickable Guide
Moths Butterflies Flies Caterpillars Flies Dragonflies Flies Mantids Cockroaches Bees and Wasps Walkingsticks Earwigs Ants Termites Hoppers and Kin Hoppers and Kin Beetles True Bugs Fleas Grasshoppers and Kin Ticks Spiders Scorpions Centipedes Millipedes

Calendar
Upcoming Events

Photos of insects and people from the 2024 BugGuide gathering in Idaho July 24-27

Moth submissions from National Moth Week 2024

Photos of insects and people from the 2022 BugGuide gathering in New Mexico, July 20-24

Photos of insects and people from the Spring 2021 gathering in Louisiana, April 28-May 2

Photos of insects and people from the 2019 gathering in Louisiana, July 25-27

Photos of insects and people from the 2018 gathering in Virginia, July 27-29


Previous events


TaxonomyBrowse
Info
ImagesLinksBooksData

Species Toxomerus politus

Flower Fly - Toxomerus politus - female Toxomerus politus A tiny fly - Toxomerus politus - male Toxomerus politus? - Toxomerus politus Maize Calligrapher - Toxomerus politus - female Fly - Toxomerus politus - female Fly - Toxomerus politus - male Toxomerus politus? - Toxomerus politus
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Diptera (Flies)
No Taxon ("Aschiza")
Family Syrphidae (Hover Flies)
Subfamily Syrphinae
Tribe Syrphini
Genus Toxomerus
Species politus (Toxomerus politus)
Other Common Names
Corn-feeding Syrphid Fly
Explanation of Names
Toxomerus politus (Say 1823)
Size
7-9 mm
Identification
scutellum mostly yellow; margin of abdomen with alternating black and yellow markings; dorsal surface of abdomen with distinctive pattern
see[cite:144390]
Range
so. Canada to Argentina; West Indies(1)
Season
Aug-Sep in n. US & ON(2)
Food
Corn pollen, and pollen of other Poaceae, such as Sorghum. (Studia Dipterologica. Pollenivory in larval and adult flower flies: pollen availability and visitation rate by Toxomerus politus Say (Diptera: Syrphidae) on sorghum Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench)
Remarks
much less common than T. marginatus or T. geminatus
Larvae found in masses on corn tassels. Feed on the pollen. EoL
Internet References