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Pollinator of the Month: Margined calligrapher (Toxomerus marginatus)

The margined calligrapher (Toxomerus marginatus) belongs to the order of flies (Diptera), which is one of the most diverse groups of insects. More specifically, they belong in the hoverfly or flower fly family (Syrphidae). The name hoverfly comes from their ability to hover when flying, which is used during mating or feeding. The name flower fly may come from the fact that they are commonly seen pollinating flowers. There are about 900 species of hoverflies in North America.

Hoverflies typically mimic bees or wasps with their yellow and black striped abdomens. This is a form of Batesian mimicry, where a harmless organism resembles a harmful one to reduce its risk of predation. Hoverflies can be distinguished from bees or wasps as they only have one pair of wings, whereas bees and wasps have two pairs of wings. Hoverflies also have bigger eyes that are located at the front of their heads while wasps and bees have smaller eyes that are located at the sides of their ...more ↓

Posted on March 24, 2024 12:12 AM by kiarra13 kiarra13 | 0 comments | Leave a comment
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Join our Calgary Pollinator Count!

This project aims to document the insect pollinators present in Calgary and their associated plants. Please contribute your photographs of an insects interacting with the flower surface or flower parts of plants. Associated plants can be in wild or cultivated settings.

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