Possible Robber Fly
Thanks for taking the time to review my message. I saw this odd creature two mornings in a row and I was able to capture it (photographically) the second morning. Originally I thought it was a mosquito, however, now that I have found your site, I know I’m wrong. The closest guess I could come up with is that this may be an immature fly – possible a robber fly.?. I can say that s/he did not really appreciate the flash as I was allowed only one shot per sitting. This shot was taken 7/29/2006 @ 10:50 AM, in a rural suburb of Pittsburgh, PA. The image was obviously taken with a macro lens, and to frame the size, the brown object is the edge of a 4×4 post on my deck. Unfortunately, the image is a bit dark due to the small aperture used, and you can’t see the wings. The bug was small enough to be considered a female mosquito at first glance, so I think it is a little small to be a robber fly. Thanks again for your time, and the great work you do with this site.
Pete
Hi Pete,
Immature flies are maggots. Once the fly becomes an adult, it has reached its maximum size. This is a small species of Robber Fly in the genus Ommatius. We have lightened you photo using “level” in Photoshop.