Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada

Species Toxomerus politus

Syrphid - Toxomerus politus What is this? - Toxomerus politus - male September Syrphid - Toxomerus politus Syrphid Fly - Toxomerus politus Swept - Toxomerus politus diptera 1 - Toxomerus politus Syrphid Flies Toxomerus politus - Toxomerus politus Syrphid flies - 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