The Amazing Hoverfly

Is it a bee? Is it a wasp? No, it's a hoverfly! If you hear or see one of these flies, don't be alarmed: it doesn't bite or sting. In fact, you want these little guys around to pollinate your flowers and keep the aphids at bay. They belong to the family Syrphidae, or Syrphid Flies. Though they mimic bees and wasps, if you look closely you can see they lack a second pair of wings and a stinger. One of the most abundant species is Toxomerus geminatus (subfamily Syrphinae, tribe Toxomerini). Just the other day I spotted a beautiful female specimen resting on a blue hydrangea leaf. When I blew up the photos, the intricate black markings on the abdomen took my breath away! Isn't the Lord an amazing craftsman?

You can tell it's a female by the rounded abdomen which tapers to a point.

References:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/27/science/as-hoverflies-grow-so-do-their-acting-skills.html?_r=0 (NY Times article about mimicry in hoverflies)
http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/artmay07/cd-hoverflies.html (All About Hoverflies)
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/beneficials/beneficial-28_hover_or_syrphid_flies.htm
http://www.gardensafari.net/english/hoverflies.htm
http://bugguide.net/node/view/8222 (T. geminatus)
http://www.canacoll.org/Diptera/Staff/Skevington/Syrphidae/Toxomerus/Toxomerus3.jpg (compare species)
http://eol.org/pages/750928/overview (T. geminatus)
http://insectsofwestvirginia.net/f/toxomerus-geminatus.html
http://www.fnanaturesearch.org/index.php?option=com_naturesearch&task=view&id=1342