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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » "Aschiza" » Hover Flies (Syrphidae) » Syrphinae » Syrphini » Toxomerus » Toxomerus occidentalis
Photo#554479
Syrphid S - Toxomerus occidentalis - female
Copyright © 2011 Scott Peden

Syrphid S - Toxomerus occidentalis - Female
Big Basin Redwoods State Park, Rancho del Oso, Skyline to the sea Road, interp trail, Santa Cruz County, California, USA
July 24, 2011
This first stopped at one flower and appeared to eat, then flew to a few more and repeatedly stabbed its abdomen into those 2 flowers, then took it's log back legs and stretched and rubbed them over it's abdomen, in one blurry photo it had the legs on top of it's back.

On Horseweed Flowers

Female?

Shooting in the breeze, I'd have walked away but I hadn't seen one like this before.

Images of this individual: tag all
Syrphid S - Toxomerus occidentalis - female Syrphid S - Toxomerus occidentalis - female Syrphid S - Toxomerus occidentalis - female Syrphid S - Toxomerus occidentalis - female Syrphid S - Toxomerus occidentalis - female
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Contributed by Scott Peden on 30 July, 2011 - 12:55am
Last updated 28 December, 2011 - 2:45pm

Moved
Moved from Syrphid Flies.
… Scott Peden, 4 October, 2011 - 8:45am login or register to post comments

Toxomerus marginatus
Toxomerus marginatus
… Alice Cavette, 30 July, 2011 - 3:43pm login or register to post comments

 
Close! I have it Toxomerus occidentalis, female.
A quick differentiator: T. marginatus has a dot towards the end of the abdomen.

More iffy: T.occidentalis/geminatus (eastern version) have a "keyhole' shape in the pattern.
… Ron Hemberger, 30 July, 2011 - 8:13pm login or register to post comments

 
Your are absolutely correct!
I went to my page and Copy/Pasted the wrong name from the image above the T. occidentalis. SORRY Scott!
… Alice Cavette, 30 July, 2011 - 8:36pm login or register to post comments

 
No problem!
FYI Scott, Alice and I share a love of syrphids and peeps.
… Ron Hemberger, 30 July, 2011 - 8:47pm login or register to post comments

 
Thanks
Both of you! I'm gaining a love for the Syrphids myself.
… Scott Peden, 30 July, 2011 - 9:07pm login or register to post comments

 
Today, the flies. Tomorrow, the peeps!
.
… Ron Hemberger, 30 July, 2011 - 9:59pm login or register to post comments

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