Subject: Is this a wasp?
Geographic location of the bug: Vancouver area, British Columbia, Canada
Date: 08/26/2019
Time: 09:49 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman: I came across this aggressive little monster outside in late August near Vancouver. He was easily 2x the size of a honeybee, and while he preferred hanging out on the wooden bench, he made several short (1-2 second) flights before finding a new landing spot each time on the bench. He even had a mid-air tumble with a flying insect who dared to pass near him. He seemed quite aggressive and unpredictable, so sorry for the blurry pic! I couldn’t get too close.
How you want your letter signed: Agatha
Dear Agatha,
This is a Robber Fly, not a Wasp, and it appears to be Laphria astur, based on this BugGuide image. Large Robber Flies are aerial predators that take prey on the wing, and the “mid-air tumble” you witnessed might have been a failed attempt to capture a meal.