Robber Fly

Although robber flies can vary considerably in size (some tropical species can be more than a foot in length) and bodies, they all possess extremely long spiny legs, bearded face, piercing mouthparts, large eyes, hollowed out area between the eyes, and a bristly humped thorax. Some are stout like bees while others are long and narrow with a very long abdomen. And the various species, of which there are about 1000 in North America, utilize a wide range of habitats, from our yards to the beach to desert scrub and even grasslands. They can be found perched on the ground, on branches and leaves, or on various structures.