Subject: Bugged Birder
Geographic location of the bug: Pocatello, Idaho
Date: 06/28/2021
Time: 04:03 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman: Dear Bugman, While out birding in the disc golf course behind my house, this bug landed at my feet. It is about 1.5 inches as I recall. The furry legs caught my eye. I can find nothing on the internet that resembles it. The area is high desert with sage brush and juniper. I took this picture on June 26. Thanks.
How you want your letter signed: J. Shipman
Dear J. Shipman,
This magnificent predator is a Robber Fly in the family Asilidae and we believe it is in the subfamily Asilinae. There are numerous similar looking individuals on BugGuide.
Hey, thank you so much, and for such a prompt answer! I Checked out BugGuide, as you suggested, and also found a lot of info about Robber Flies on Wikipedia. Gosh, what a brute! Are they found only in the West? I’m originally from the East Coast, and I’ve never heard of these guys. Cheers – J