# Margined Calligrapher (*Toxomerus marginatus*) The Margined Calligrapher is a small, friendly fly that loves to buzz around flowers. It has beautiful stripes and helps flowers by spreading pollen as it visits them. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 81 - **Habitat:** Urban areas ![Margined Calligrapher](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Margined_calligrapher_%2830523%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Margined_calligrapher_%2830523%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Margined Calligrapher is a small fly with a striking appearance. It has a black and yellow striped abdomen, often resembling a tiny wasp or bee, and clear, delicate wings. Its body often has a slightly flattened look. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Diptera - **Family:** Syrphidae - **Genus:** Toxomerus ## Interesting facts - Even though they look striped like a scary wasp, they can't sting you at all! - Some people call them 'flower flies' because they love visiting bright blossoms. - Their tiny eyes have thousands of lenses, giving them super amazing vision. - They can fly backwards and even sideways, a rare trick for an insect! ## Special abilities - **Super Hovering:** Margined Calligrapher can hover in place like a tiny helicopter, allowing them to precisely collect nectar and scout for aphids. - **Aphid Hunter (Larvae):** Margined Calligrapher larvae can gobble up hundreds of garden aphids, helping plants stay healthy and strong. - **Plant Pollinator:** Margined Calligrapher can visit many flowers, transferring pollen from bloom to bloom and helping plants reproduce. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 8-14 mm - **Size:** 4-7 mm - **Lifespan:** 15-30 days - **Flight Speed:** 5-10 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Adults sip sweet nectar and collect pollen, while their larvae are tiny garden heroes, eating pesky aphids. - **Age differences:** Larvae are carnivorous, feeding on soft-bodied insects like aphids, while adults are herbivorous, seeking nectar and pollen from flowers. - **Primary Foods:** nectar, pollen, aphids - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** Cotton Aphid (*Aphis gossypii*) — Larvae feast on these tiny plant pests. - **Pollinates:** Wild Carrot (*Daucus carota*) — Adults visit their flowers for nectar and pollen. - **Eaten by:** European Garden Spider (*Araneus diadematus*) — Sometimes caught in their sticky webs by garden spiders. ## Traits - [Striped](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/striped): Marked with parallel bands or lines of color. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low These flies are harmless, but it's best to watch them from a distance. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Margined Calligrapher? Look for six legs, antennae, three body sections and the shape of the wings. Beetles have hardened front wings; flies have just one working pair. Tiny insects may need a close view before their group is clear. Insect Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Margined Calligrapher's wingspan? 8-14 mm ### How big is Margined Calligrapher? 4-7 mm ### How long does Margined Calligrapher live? 15-30 days ### How fast can Margined Calligrapher fly? 5-10 km/h ### What does Margined Calligrapher eat? Adults sip sweet nectar and collect pollen, while their larvae are tiny garden heroes, eating pesky aphids. ### Where is Margined Calligrapher usually found? Urban areas ### How does Margined Calligrapher hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Abbott Farm Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/abbott-farm-historic-district) — New Jersey, US · Historic District - [American Baptist College](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/american-baptist-college) — Tennessee, US · Campus - [Arnold Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/arnold-arboretum) — Massachusetts, US · Botanical Garden - [Audubon Place Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/audubon-place-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District - [Berry Botanic Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/berry-botanic-garden) — Oregon, US · Botanical Garden - [Black Hawk State Historic Site](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/black-hawk-state-historic-site) — Illinois, US · Park [View all places to see Margined Calligrapher](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/margined-calligrapher) ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Margined Calligrapher: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/margined-calligrapher)