About Toxomerus marginatus (Say, 1823)
Toxomerus marginatus (Say, 1823), also called the margined calligrapher fly, is a common hoverfly species. It occurs across many parts of North America. The larvae of this species are predators of thrips, aphids, and small caterpillars. Adult Toxomerus marginatus feed on a wide variety of flowers. A 2007 study by Smith & Chaney found that T. marginatus is the most abundant Syrphidae species that controls aphids in lettuce fields located on California's Central Coast. Toxomerus marginatus are commonly found in cranberry fields. This syrphid species is strongly attracted to methyl salicylate, a plant volatile that is both a floral compound and an herbivore-induced plant volatile.
