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Robber fly

Efferia aestuans

Photo by KarenL
Published on Project Noah
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35.8987, -86.9624

Field Notes

Description:

Robber flies have stout, spiny legs, a dense moustache of bristles on the face (mystax), and 3 simple eyes (ocelli) in a characteristic depression between their two large compound eyes. The mystax helps protect the head and face when the fly encounters prey bent on defense. The antennae are short, 3-segmented, sometimes with a bristle-like structure called an arista.
The short, strong proboscis is used to stab and inject victims with saliva containing neurotoxic and proteolytic enzymes which paralyze and digest the insides; the fly then sucks the liquefied meal through the proboscis. Many species have long, tapering abdomens, sometimes with a sword-like ovipositor. Others are fat-bodied bumblebee mimics. Adult robber flies attack other flies, beetles, butterflies and moths, various bees, ants, dragon and damselflies, Ichneumon wasps, grasshoppers, and some spiders.

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (5)

Thanks guys! I will update my spotting info.
Nice ! Very similar to this one:http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/6906444
Nice shot! This is some type of Robberfly. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robberfly
Wow - I just commented on a similar one a little while ago http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/7094554

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