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FliesThis one is still alive!
Dear Bugman,
My husband took this picture after watching it lure a wasp with the thing on it’s head. When the wasp got within range it grabbed it, did something to it and let it fall to the ground. The wasp appeared stunned or dying and was unable to fly. We live in the country in West Central Indiana. We try not to kill anything if we don’t have to. This Insect is sitting on a Rose of Sharon Bush. It is about 2 inches long, black with orange legs and an orange thing sticking out of it’s head. Since I am allergic to wasps I am hoping this is something I want around my house since I have quite a problem with wasps. Is this insect going to be a problem for me though also? Please could you identify this insect for us? Thank You,
Annette & Carl J.
Gosport, IN
Hi Annette and Carl,
This is a Mydas Fly, Mydas tibialis. According to BugGuide: “Some adults, especially males, take nectar. Adults, long thought to be predatory, are perhaps not! Some females do not feed as adults. Larvae are predators of larval beetles, mostly.” Your observation of this specimen attacking a wasp is quite interesting.
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