Just noticed I called it a Syphid, oh well! Is the eye contact true for the family, or just the genus? Just getting it down to genus is great. Although with only over sixty possible species - we shall expect more from you in the future (smiley-face thingy).

Thanks again for the ID and info, so many syRphids, so little time.

KSM

Hoi Kerry,
The difference in eye contact is true for a whole lot of genera in the Syrphidae, but not for all!
In Platycheirus it is very clearly visible, as seen on your pictures.
I think this could be a female of Platycheirus stegnus, but of course there is a but...:-)) It has a structure of pits on its face (visible as black dots in the grey color of the face), that indicates a female P. stegnus. However I don't know how much other species there are in the USA which have the same feature.
There might be several species with these 'dotted' faces, but maybe this is the only one! Somebody with a better knowledge of American syrphids should be able to tell you!
Greetings,
Gerard Pennards

Gerard,
Should this be plugged into the syrphid page? Would P.stegnus be appropriate or just Platycheirus? Taxonomy always seems to have plenty of enormous "buts," fortunately enormous mistakes can be corrected later by more learned individuals.
KSM

Hoi Kerry,
Mostly one considers an idea to be right, and acts on it, and if at a later stage the facts tell different, it is always possible to change it! :-)))
So, I would say its ok to plug it in as female of Platycheirus stegnus!
Greetings,
Gerard Pennards