Category Archives: Robber Flies   rss

What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Hanging Thief

Robber Fly
October 8, 2009
I believe this is a robber fly but would like to get your expert opinion. I have not seen one with green eyes.
m zapata
Flower Mound, Denton County, Texas

Hanging Thief

Hanging Thief

Dear m zapata,
Yes, this is a Robber Fly.  We are nearly certain it is a Hanging Thief in the genus Diogmites.  Though it does not look like an exact match, it does resemble Diogmites discolor which is pictured on BugGuide.  We will check with Eric Eaton to see if he can identify the species.  Your photos are stunning and this is an exquisite creature.

Hanging Thief

Hanging Thief

Update from Eric Eaton
Daniel:
No, I don’t know robber flies that well, but if it is not a species of Diogmites then it is certainly a closely-related genus.
Eric

Robber Fly

Huge unknown wasp looking bug
August 28, 2009
The other day I was launched into action as screams came from the kitchen. “Daddy come get this bug it’s HUGE!!!” So I did what Dads do and got it but now I would like to know what in the world it is… I’m 37 years old and lived in Arizona my entire life and have never came across anything like it. This bug was HUGE. I would have to say larger than a silver dollar. I forgot to put something like a quarter in the picture to get reference as to size but believe me… HUGE…
Thank you for your time
Daddy Matt
Sierra Vista, Arizona

Robber Fly

Robber Fly

Hi Daddy Matt,
In the past year, both we and BugGuide have gotten several reports of this majestic Robber Fly, Archilestris magnificus, from Arizona.  Prior to that, the species was known from Mexico.  Robber Flies are predators, and they might bite humans if carelessly handled, but they would need provocation to bite.

Probably Southern Bee Killer

More on the Belzebul Robber Fly
August 20, 2009
These photos were taken today, Aug. 20th. These flies are still in our yard (first spotted on Aug. 6th), still hanging out among the crepe myrtle trees. I never did spot any fly eggs, but they certainly may be on the trees or grass. I think this is one of the robber flies with what appears to be a honeybee as prey. Sorry the photo isn’t very clear. The flies zip away if I get very close with the camera. This one flew away, prey and all. One fly is the gigantic one, and we have several that are smaller but seem to be the same species.
I read with interest the information cited about the robber flies; we don’t have any barnyards near, but we do have a creek bed behind us with tall sedges and grasses, and we are on the edge of town with extensive cow pastures/brushy areas beginning one block away. Love your website!
Ellen
Coryell County, Texas, where it is HOT and we’re in drought conditions

Bee Killer Kills Bee

Bee Killer Kills Bee

Hi Ellen,
There are at least 3 different species of Bee Killers in the genus Mallophora that live in Texas, and though your previous submission was identified by us as a Belzebul Bee Eater, we believe this specimen to be a Southern Bee Killer, Mallophora orcina, based on the coloration of the beard and abdomen as depicted on BugGuide.

Follow0up
Possible Young Belzebul Bee Eater or Something Else?
August 20, 2009
I’m not sure if this is a young Belzebul Bee Eater or not. I’m sending two photos of the original gigantic Belzebul (8-6-09) and a new photo of one of the smaller flies I’m seeing around the yard (8-20-09). The eyes and antennae seem the same, but the smaller insects have yellow hair on the abdomens and not as much black hair on the legs.
I sent some photos earlier today of one of these smaller flies with honeybee prey.
I had a thought about the eggs also. Although we don’t have a compost pile or barnyard, we do have mulch in all of the gardens. We may be hatching Belzebul eggs as well as a myriad of spiders, caterpillars and beetles. :-)
It’s summertime and the living is easy but it’s very hot. Thanks.
Ellen
Coryell County, Central Texas

Southern Bee Killer

Southern Bee Killer

Hi Ellen,
This confirms what we wrote back on the earlier email.  We believe this is a Southern Bee Killer.

What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Bee Killer eats European Paper Wasp

We saw this bug eating a wasp. We’ve never seen one before. What is it?
August 15, 2009
We saw this bug eating a wasp. We’ve never seen one before. What is it?
• Your letter to the bugman    Please help us identify this ugly unusual furry bug preying on a wasp. We live in the Los Angeles area and this was in our back yard.
Sincerely, Daniel and Jill
Los Angeles, CA

Bee Killer eats Golden Paper Wasp

Bee Killer eats Golden Paper Wasp

Dear Daniel and Jill,
The predator is a Robber Fly known as a Bee Killer, Mallophora fautrix, and the prey is a Golden Paper Wasp, Polistes aurifer.

Correction
August 15, 2009
The prey here is the European Paper Wasp, Polistes dominulus.
bugbrainz

Thanks for the correction. According to BugGuide:  “no other species of Vespidae has mostly orange antennae.”

Robber Fly from Mexico

Huge scary Mosquito like creature
August 12, 2009
Hi there,
We found this critter resting on the floor of our outside terrace. It looks positively dangerous…i had my husband put it in a tupperware for the meantime as it seems a bit risky to leave it flying around. I would say it stands approx 1 inch tall and 2 inches long and its spiky proboscis looks to be around 5mm long…It mostly black with a redish abdomen and a white marking between it’s eyes, its legs and thorax are hairy!…I just can’t get over how chunky it looks.
We live on the coast in Southern Mexico…hope you can identify it!! It’s life is in your hands!
Jenny
Zihuatanejo MEX

Robber Fly from Mexico:  Archilestris magnificus

Robber Fly from Mexico: Archilestris magnificus

Hi Jenny,
We hope we are not too late to save the life of this majestic Robber Fly, Archilestris magnificus.  Robber Flies, though fierce predators, do not attack humans.  We would not go so far as to say that they will never bite, as they are capable of biting, and if carelessly handled, a Robber Fly might be inclined to bite out of self preservation.
We received our first submission of this species last summer, and that image was also posted to BugGuide where it made quite a stir.  The species is now reported with some degree of frequency from Arizona.

Robber Fly eats Grasshopper

Carnage, Purely Natural!
August 10, 2009
Thanks again for providing such a great resource. I have e-mailed before about a Regal Jumping Spider in October of 2008 and have used your archives so many times to identify the critters I stumble across. You were a help again today to identify this Robber Fly that I photographed today at Troy Springs State Park in north-central Florida. Your previous example was unfortunately squished so I thought I would share my photos of a Robber Fly doing the squishing… or sucking. I also hope that you don’t mind that I recommended your page on my blog, 365 Days Through the Eyes of a Park Ranger (www.rangervision.blogspot.com).
Keep up the great work and thanks for the effort that you put into this site even with your busy schedules.
Amy
Branford, FL

Robber Fly eats Grasshopper
Robber Fly eats Grasshopper

Hi Amy,
First we must clarify that we do not consider Food Chain images to be carnage.  Carnage is senseless slaughter.  Your photo depicts the beauty of the natural world.  We are honored to be recommended on your blog as we have tremendous respect for park rangers.  We believe your Robber Fly is in the subfamily Asilinae which has many genera represented on BugGuide, but we are uncertain of the genus or species.  Perhaps a specialist in the Family will write in and assist in this identification.

Robber Fly eats Grasshopper
Robber Fly eats Grasshopper

Robber Fly, killed with a shoe out of fear

Strange Wasp Flew into Home. Never Seen before!
August 7, 2009
Hello. I was recently helping move furniture out of my basement to help my sibling move out, and as I was returning through the door a massive dark bug flew in front of me and came inside. The bug was very large, about 2 inches long, and it made very loud buzzing. It landed on our ceiling lights, so we left the door open and turned off the lights hoping it would leave. Unfortunately, it decided to fly onto my mother, and fearing that it would sting her, we had to kill it with a shoe. Though the bug has been squished, I’m hoping I had reasonable cause to kill it and am hoping you can identify it. It had two wings, the body was entirely dark with no yellow, and the long abdomen was black with brown stripes. I have lived in Southeast Tennessee for 10 years and neither I nor my parents have ever seen a bug like this. Please let me know if you can figure it out!
VolFan89
Chattanooga, TN

Robber Fly Squished

Robber Fly Squished

Hi VolFan89,
This is a Robber Fly in the family Asilidae, and they do not routinely attack humans, though if carelessly handled or threatened, we suspect they might bite.  We fully understand your fear and the reaction that caused you to squish this Robber Fly with a shoe, and we intend no malice in our assessment of Unnecessary Carnage.  We do not intend to imply that you are evil because of your instinctive protective action, and we hope that this will educate you in the future should you ever again encounter a Robber Fly.  Robber Flies are important predators and they should not be killed.  We are trying to use caution in our choice of words because we have recently been accused of libel and malicious intent and defamation of character after performing a free public service and identifying dead insects that we thought were killed unnecessarily and then posting the responses.  It has always been our intent to educate people and not to chastise.

The querant responds
I just don’t see the necessity to “file it under Unnecessary Carnage”. You guys are creating this problem for yourself when you could just leave it well enough alone. A simple suggestion would suffice, such as saying “They aren’t typically a threat, so please refrain from killing them.” instead of making every single person look like a criminal. A large and scary looking insect on somebody you love is a well enough reason to kill it, and condemning somebody for it is not my idea of rightful. Unfortunately, I agree that you’re violating your 1st amendment rights and committing libel, but hopefully whoever is suing you has lawyers that can reveal it better than  I can.

“A large and scary looking insect on somebody you love is a well enough reason to kill it” is precisely the reason it needs to be filed under Unnecessary Carnage.  Just because something is scary looking does not mean it is harmful and if every scary looking thing is killed, there might soon be nothing left on the planet.  Some people might even be scary looking. Calling an act unnecessary is not a libelous statement. Criminal is your word, not our word.  While we maintain that we bear no malice towards people who kill insects because they don’t know any better, it seems as though the statement “Unfortunately, I agree that you’re violating your 1st amendment rights and committing libel, but hopefully whoever is suing you has lawyers that can reveal it better than I can” does contain a degree of ill will directed towards What’s That Bug?  It does give one pause to ponder just who bears malice toward whom.

Unnecessary Carnage Comment
August 9, 2009
RE: unnecessary carnage
I love your site, and visit it several times a day. Many thanks for posting such lovely images and so much information (you helped me ID a one-eyed Sphinx moth here in Seattle)! I also love the fact that you tell folks when they have committed an act of unnecessary carnage, but sadly, you have been very hesitant to do so lately… Please don’t let one or two unhinged people keep you from providing a vital service- letting humans know that insects are innocent until proven guilty!
Leah S.

Belzebul Bee Eater

Possible Robber Fly?
August 6, 2009
Photos taken today, 8-6-09, of our latest Prehistoric Pet in Coryell County, Central Texas. Is it a Robber Fly? BZZZZT!
It can keep the gigantic Tarantula Hawks company. So nice to have (Huge. Black. Flying.) insects buzzing from tree to tree. Makes a nice change from bird watching. :o )
Ellen
Coryell County, Central Texas, semi arid scrub country with oaks, mesquite, limestone and clay soil

Belzebul Bee Eater

Belzebul Bee Eater

Hi Ellen,
There are several insects with common names that are associated with the devil, like the Devil’s Coach Horse and the Hickory Horned Devil, but few have the distinction that your Robber Fly has.  According to BugGuide, your Mallophora leschenaulti is the Belzebul Bee Eater. Flies have had a long association with Satan in writing and this has been further communicated in numerous Hollywood films as well as foreign films like the Dario Argento classic Suspiria.  If ever a fly’s appearance warranted such an association, it is the huge and hairy Mallophora leschenaulti, though it is worth noting that this frightening predator has no interest in biting humans.  That said, we would not try to carelessly handle a living specimen for fear that the captive might bite out of self defense.  The Belzebul Bee Eater is one of the large hairy Robber Flies in the genus known as Bee Killers, and members of this genus can be distinguished by the thin terminal segment of the antennae.  BugGuide reports that “Eggs of M. leschenaulti laid on upright stems but the larva are soil living. Sometimes concentrated in animal pens with dung and decay or in compost heaps.
“  We would surmise that the larvae do not feed on decaying matter, but that they are predatory and feed upon other insects attracted to this foul environment. BugGuide lists the geographical range of the Belzebul Bee Eater as Texas and Mexico.

Belzebul Bee Eater

Belzebul Bee Eater

Thank you, Daniel. Having a decent sense of self preservation, I kept my distance from our visitor as far as possible, hence the not-quite-in-focus photos. It did not like the yardstick and buzzed around the yard for awhile, kind of like a cargo plane, before alighting again. I shamelessly ran for cover while it was flying. In one photo you can see it eyeing me. Yikes.
I appreciate your speedy and interesting reply!
Sadly, we do not have many bees this year, although we do have some visiting our crepe myrtle trees, which is where the Belzebul Bee Eater was hanging out.
Take care.

Thanks for the follow-up information Ellen.  Though the photo with the yardstick did not make it to our site as it did not have as much detail as the other photos, it did appear that the abdomen of the Belzebul Bee Eater was in contact with the branch.  We wonder, perhaps, if the fly was ovipositing as indicated on BugGuide.

Hanging Thief

E-gads, what’s this? Bucks County, PA
August 6, 2009
Hi Mr. Bugman. I’m a mom of 2 and had just strapped my kids into their seats today – August 6th – when I noticed this who-knows-what-kinda-bug on my dashboard. It was a little less than an inch long and was near my a/c vent. It didn’t appear to want to fly anywhere and didn’t seem agitated but the close-up of it made me think of the movie, “The Fly”!
I drove home and had forgotten about it. Now I’m wondering 3 things: What is it? How did the poor thing get in our minivan (and how can it get out?!) ? And is it at all harmful?
Thanks so much! LOVE your site! And best of luck on the book :)
Sharon
Bucks County, PA (35 miles north of Philadelphia)

Hanging Thief

Hanging Thief

Hi Sharon,
This awesome Robber Fly is known as a Hanging Thief.  It probably entered your minivan the same way you did, through the door, or perhaps through an open window.  It can leave the same way.  We haven’t heard any reports of people being bitten by Hanging Thieves or other Robber Flies, but they do bite their prey and it is entirely possible if a person mishandles one of them, the person may be bitten.  There is a big difference between “will it bite” and “can it bite” and we would say that it is not inclined to bite, but it might bite.  Your photos are amazingly wonderful.

Robber Fly from Italy

Unidentified insect found in Umbria, central Italy.
August 6, 2009
Bug was on an 8 cm plank in Umbria Italy. `no-one in the area has seen one like it before. See attached pictures. Although the pictures have the title spider 1 and spider 2 it may not be a spider as it appears to have 6 legs
Ruth
Todi, Umbria, Italy

unknown Robber Fly from Italy

Robber Fly from Italy

Dear Ruth,
This really is a spectacular Robber Fly in the family Asilidae, but we are uncertain of the species.  We have a vague recollection of having identified a very similar looking Robber Fly once, but we haven’t the time right now to research that.  Perhaps one of our readers will be able to assist in a species identification.

Update from Karl
Hi Daniel:
It looks like Pogonosoma maroccanum, which occurs in Italy, France, Austria and probably other parts of Europe as well. Regards.
Karl

Bee Killer Kills Bee

Bee eating another bee
August 6, 2009
We saw a bee catch another bee in midair. It then flew away with it’s prey in mouth only to get eaten by a bird in midair. Food chain in action!
Jonathan Bergado
Santa Fe Springs, CA

Bee Killer Kills Bee

Bee Killer Kills Bee

Hi Jonathan,
The predator in your photo is not a Bee, but rather a Robber Fly known as a Bee Killer.  It is Mallophora fautrix, the only member of the genus in California according to BugGuide.
The prey is a Honey Bee.

Bee KIller Kills Bee

Bee KIller Kills Bee

Hanging Thief eats Red Wasp

Crane Fly with a hefty meal I suspect?
August 1, 2009
I was at a park and I saw a pair (attached) of flying insects buzz by and so I naturally went over to have a look. I was expecting a mating pair but then I saw this. The blurry picture was while what I suspect is a Crane Fly was grappling for better control of the wasp (also a very windy day). I’m curious, is this indeed a Crane Fly?
Jeff
Mount Pleasant, SC (near Charleston)

Hanging Thief eats Red Wasp
Hanging Thief eats Red Wasp

Hi Jeff,
Your predator is a Robber Fly known as a Hanging Thief in the genus Diogmites which may be viewed on BugGuide,
and the prey is a Red Wasp, Polistes carolina, which can also be viewed on BugGuide.  Hanging Thieves often catch their prey while flying.  Hanging Thieves get their common name from their habit of hanging from one leg while eating.


Page 1 of 612345»...Last »