Flower Flies are excellent bee mimics, able to hover over flowers and people, but despite the warning colors, they are completely harmless.
Flower Flies are excellent pollinators. They visit flowers to eat pollen, and like other insects including bees, they pick up pollen grains on their bodies and transfer them to other blossoms. Flower Flies in the Toxomerus genus appear to have a flat abdomen that is able to bend at almost awkward angles. They do not sting and are harmless to people. This particular species can be found on, or near, corn and sorghum plants as well as garden flowers.
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Arthropoda
Class:Insecta
Order:Diptera
Family:Syrphidae
Genus:Toxomerus
Species:politus
Identifying Information
Scientific Name: Toxomerus politus
Other Name(s): Hover Fly
Category:
Fly or Mosquito
Size (Adult; Length): 7mm to 9mm (0.27in to 0.35in)
Note: An insect's reach is not limited by lines drawn on a map and therefore species may appear in areas, regions and/or states beyond those listed above as they are driven by environmental factors (such as climate change), available food supplies and mating patterns. Grayed-out selections indicate that the subject in question has not been reported in that particular territory. U.S. states and Canadian provinces / territories are clickable to their respective bug listings.
Colors: yellow, black, red
