Skip to main content
Close

Robber Fly

Asilidae

Photo by annorion
Published on Project Noah
Zoom
NominateNominate for Wildlife Photograph of the Month
reportFlag Spotting

29.7719, -90.8092

Field Notes

Description:

Kind of looks like a dragonfly body but shorter and with a larger upper body. I’m not sure what type of bug it was about to eat either but it was still twitching a bit when I took the pic.

Habitat:

Spotted in tall grass on edge of woods in South Louisiana.

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (7)

The milkweed bugs start out very small (almost microscopic after hatching) and go through several molts as they grow to adulthood. They are a milky-white color after each molt but in a few hours turn orange and black again as the exoskeleton hardens.
It was pretty interesting...one second the Robber fly was there hanging out on a leaf and then he swooped up the other bug...surprised the heck out of me! I often see the orange bugs all orange with white dots I always thought that might be the young form of the bug pictured. Do milkweed bugs start off just orange and white?
the prey could be a milkweed bug http://www.duke.edu/~jspippen/naturephotos/milkweedbugs.htm
robber fly http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asilidae
Photographed
PublishedJuly 17, 2011

Accelerate our Mission to Photograph 
Every Species in the World!

Image
Butterflies icon

Wildlife Community

Wildlife Community

Join a worldwide community passionate about wildlife and nature!

Join Project Noah

Nature School

Nature School

Transform your green space into a curiosity-creating nature classroom!

Visit Nature School

Wildlife Game

Wildlife Game

Defend wildlife throughout the jungle in thrilling nature game!

Play Baboon