Robber Fly

I am struggling with a bad cold today so I asked Paladian to assist me with my blip - anything other than another bee. LOL. This wonderful 1cm long robber fly perfectly fits the bill.

The Robber Flies are air hunters who prey on other insects. They are also known as an Assassin Fly and the Bee Killer. They have strong legs which can catch prey on flight. Robber flies hold their prey with powerful legs while neurotoxins and special enzymes (proteolytic) are injected into the victim. Their mouthparts are the triangular proboscis which they then insert into their prey and suck out the juice like an energy drink!

At rest, adult robber flies may be mistaken for dragonflies. But this is no dragon -
See bigger eyes in LARGE!

They are medium to large size flies with large (huge) eyes. They are active predators on flying insects, unselective in prey species. They even prey on web weaving spiders.

Most Robber Flies are reddish-brown in colour. Their thorax and legs are hairy and their abdomen is long and thin. One of their favourite insects is winged ants.

Female robber flies deposit creamy colour eggs on plants or in gaps within soil, bark, or wood. Robber fly larvae live in the soil or in rotting wood. Larvae are also predators - they feed on eggs, larvae and other soft-bodied insects. You sense now why they are called Robber Flies!