robber fly with robber fly victim

Class: Hexapoda (animals with six legs - includes all insects)
Order: Diptera (flies, sometimes true flies)
    di = two and ptera = wings (singular is pteron)
    The name refers to the fact that flies have only two wings.
Family: Asilidae (robber flies)
Species: undetermined
Common Name: robber fly (general)
Date Observed: 2001 June through August (with reduced numbers)
Place: Guadalupe Mountains National Park
    on stones along the trails, more in sunlight than shade

Many robber flies tend to be dark (gray or black) and moderately sized with long, tapering abdomens. These flies perch on rocks with their wings lying flat over their backs. When disturbed they will often buzz loudly as they fly to another perch a short distance away. These flies tend to be sit-and-wait predators, dashing out from their perch to catch small insects and landing to feed. They also tend to stay close to the ground. The short beak can inflict a painful stab.

robber fly profile robber fly head on


This is the large robber fly in the Display Case in the Visitor Center.
Note that the beak in the head-on view blends with the mounting pin which
holds the insect up and this makes the beak look longer than it really is.

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Note: This is a personal web site and is not affiliated with the National Park Service or Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Contact information for the author, Ron Lyons, is accessible through the Index Page referenced below. Thank you.