Toxomerus geminatus
In 3 days ~40% in a week ~70%
Toxomerus geminatus (Say,1823) the Eastern Calligrapher, is a common species of syrphid fly observed in the eastern and central United States and Canada. Syrphid flies are also known as Hover Flies or Flower Flies because the adults are frequently found hovering around flowers from which they feed on nectar and pollen. Adults are 6.1–7.6 mm (0.24–0.30 in) long and are very similar to the Western Calligrapher. The larvae are predators of a variety of aphids and mites.
For terminology see Speight key to genera and glossary Size Length,. 5–7.6 mm (0.20–0.30 in) Head The face, frontal triangle, and antennae are light yellow in color, and the face has white pollen on the sides. The antennae may sometimes be a little brownish. In the female, the front is much narrower above, and is shining black, with a narrow yellow line on the sides at the lower half. The posterior orbits are thickly whitish dusted, and the eye has a distinct triangular emargination on the posterior margin at or above the level of the antennae.
Thorax The scutum is shining black, with opaque linear stripes and the lateral stripes being entirely yellow and the median stripe being cinereous (ashy... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Acadia National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Point Pelee National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 5 | Congaree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Washington | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Minneapolis [Saint Paul] | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Montreal | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 5 | New York City | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Toronto | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 7 | Baltimore | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Philadelphia | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Chicago | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Detroit | 🇺🇸 United States |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report an Eastern Calligrapher sighting in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a given day, based on 139 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 36th most-seen of the 822 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 70%, if each day is a fresh chance.
September
In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report an Eastern Calligrapher in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a given day, against under 5% in December to February, the lowest months.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Eastern Calligrapher sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 5 parks where we can rate Eastern Calligrapher sightings, Great Smoky Mountains National Park ranks 2nd at about 20%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Acadia National Park (United States, about 20%).
Same genus: Toxomerus
The closest relatives of the Eastern Calligrapher that you can see in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (genus Toxomerus, Calligrapher Flies) are Margined Calligrapher (about 10%), Maize Calligrapher (about 10%) and Thin-Lined Calligrapher (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Eastern Calligrapher is recorded against all the insects logged in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (139 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
