Calligrapher Hover Fly
Toxomerus marginatus
Image taken in Phoenix, Maricopa Co., Arizona. 25 March 2018. ID offered by Katja Schultz.
Syrphidae -- Hover Fly Family
Hover flies look much like bees which may give them some protection from insect-eating birds. They should not be feared at all, and should be seen by gardeners as very beneficial. The larval stage of this and many other species consume tremendous quantities of aphids. The Sonoran Desert region is easily home to more than 100 species of Syrphidae! They are frequent flower visitors