Robber Flies

Cyrtopogon probably C. evidens

Identified by Eric Fisher, only saw two of these, they're about 1cm long or less, I just happened to spot it on a rock.

Diogmites misellus - Hanging Thieve

This is a Robber Fly in the family Asilidae. They are very accomplished hunters and can be very large, over 3cm!

Efferia sp

Mating pair of Efferia at the sand dunes in New Mexico

Heteropogon cirrhatus

Here's a pretty robber fly that I found at the top of Bootjack Trail at Muir Woods. ID'd by Eric Fisher

Laphria gilva

This is a female robber fly in the subfamily Laphriinae, though it's not as fuzzy as many of them are. ID'd by Eric Fisher

Laphria saffrana - Robber Fly

This beautiful bee-mimic Robber Fly was one of the insect highlights of my Florida trip. The hunter has become the hunted in this photo. The prey is an adult Assassin Bug in the genus Pselliopus.

Laphria sp.

This large male is a species of Laphria, thought which one it is can't really be determined from a photo. ID'd by Eric Fisher

Lestomyia sp - Robber Fly

Eric Fisher kindly identified this for me as a Lestomyia species of Robber Fly. It's not possible to ID further without the specimen and he said it might be undescribed!

Machimus occidentalis

Another M. occidentalis, ID'd by Eric Fisher

Machimus occidentalis with prey

This big robber fly was quite cooperative since he was eating. This photo turned out better than some of the other Robbers, getting them in perfect focus isn't easy (this isn't perfect either)

Machimus sp

This is an undetermined Machimus, ID'd by Eric Fisher

Mallophora orcina - Southern Bee Killer

This isn't a bee, but actually a Robber Fly. The Asilids of the genus Mallophora strongly resemble bees in the genus Bombus. They actually prey on them as well. This is a mating pair, though the second one is out of focus

Family Asillidae

Mallophora orcina - Southern Bee Killer

Here's another image of this neat Robber Fly

Family Asillidae

Megaphorus minutus

This is a tiny robber fly and really cute. He was very cooperative. Found him hawking around sand palm scrub in Florida

Megaphorus minutus

Another shot of this cute little robber

Nannocyrtopogon atripes

This is a very tiny robber fly eating an even smaller fly. It was ID'd by Dr. Eric Fisher (as are most of these Cali robbers). It was found in the Sierran foothills of Pollock Pines.

Pogonosoma ridingsi

This is the best find from my Lake Tahoe trip. Dr. Eric Fisher ID'd this as Pogonosoma ridignsi and said that it's not very common. It's in the subfamily Laphriinae. This is also one of the cuter robbers I shot.

Proctacanthus fulviventris

This is a large robber fly in the genus Proctacanthus. Posed long enough for a decent shot.

Proctacanthus sp

Here's a cool Robber Fly from South Florida. Subfamily Asilinae

Promachus hinei with Erythemis simplicolis

This large robber fly (Promachus hinei) is feeding on a male Eastern Pondhawk. This perhaps one of my all time best photos! Certainly my best "other insects" photo