Hover flies are considered among the many important natural enemies of aphids and other plant-feeding pests. Their bite, adapted for their predatory lifestyle, injects digestive enzymes and a painful venom. As with other robber flies, this species can inflict a painful bite if mishandled. Robber flies are found on all continents but Antarctica. They don’t “go after” humans, but if you mishandle them, they might bite. No wonder. One species is known to prey on Japanese beetles. The one pictured is called a bee-mimic robber fly… If one lands on you, don’t slap it — instead, brush it lightly away. Three genera: Sceliphron, Trypoxylon, and Chalybion, Wildflowers, Grasses and Other Nonwoody Plants. Yellow Flies Some cats are susceptible to fly bites on their ears, especially cats that live outdoors. The cuterebra, or botfly, is known to lay its eggs on the skin of animals. Similar species: Some robber flies are so long and slender they resemble damselflies. The Giant Robber Flies get their name for a reason. Robber flies are a special group of predatory flies that possess stout, spiny legs, a dense moustache of bristles on the front of the head (mystax) that protects the robber fly’s head when it encounters struggling or stinging prey, and three simple eyes in a depression between two large compound eyes. These giant robber flies are in the family Asilidae. Flies have two wings, while wasps have four. Their bite, adapted for their predatory lifestyle, injects digestive enzymes and a painful venom. Robber flies deliver a painful bite, so be careful with them. The most commonly seen robber flies are dark in color, but some common types are orange. Now, after understanding that some gnats do bite humans or animals, let’s see why they bite. A few species of the genus Promachus are serious pests of apiaries because they feed on bees. Most have a long, tapered abdomen, a rather humpbacked appearance, and spiny legs, and typically rest with wings folded down the back. It waits on a perch near flowers where it can see bees from above. It stabs other insects with its proboscis and injects them with venom, which liquefies their insides. They often perch in conspicuous locations and make short flights chasing prey. The tsetse fly bite is often painful and can cause red bumps or small red ulcers at the site of the bite. After injecting the hapless meal with saliva that paralyzes and digests the prey’s bodily contents, the robber fly retires back to its perch and slurps up its insect smoothie. Common Name: Robber Flies General Category: Predator Taxonomic Classification: Diptera: Asilidae Scientific Name: Many species Description Because of their large size and loud buzz when flying, these generalist predators are often confused with horse flies and other biting flies. Most robber flies have a long, tapered abdomen, a rather humpbacked appearance, and spiny legs, and typically rest with wings folded down the back. This nice big Giant Blue Robber Fly seemed pretty angry at being trapped inside the window, so I was a tad wary about catching it at first as I didn't know if it would try to bite me or not - I was blissfully unaware of it at the time, but they have a ferocious reputation for being quite aggressive! Robber flies are well equipped to catch flying insects and can actually snatch a snack right out of the air. Find out all about horse fly bites, black fly bites, deer fly bites, and more. It often hangs from branches or objects near the ground, waiting to ambush passing prey. They are around an inch long, and the noise they make while flying is quite loud. They are powerfully built, bristly flies with a short, stout proboscis enclosing the sharp, sucking hypopharynx. As adults, robber flies dart from an exposed perch, snag, and stab insects with their pointy proboscis (tubelike mouth) as they fly past. Facts about robber flies. This large fly is feeding on a dragonfly. Robber flies’ audacity is legendary; on the Internet, one can find many stories of robber flies attacking bees, wasps, large grasshoppers, even hummingbirds. There are differences, of course, if one looks close. Asilidae diversity can be attributed to their broad distribution, as most species tend to occupy a selective niche. As their common name implies, robber flies have voracious appetites and feed on a vast array of other arthropods, which may help maintain a healthy balance between insect populations in various habitats (Joern and Rudd 1982, Shurovnekov 1962). This is a truly awesome insect, and I relish each encounter I have with them. The saliva isn't venomous, but Russo said the bite is really painful -- so it's not a good idea to mess with it. Some cats are susceptible to fly bites on their ears, especially cats that live outdoors. For that reason, Robber Flies are efficient predators, and they have a big appetite for bugs. I'm wondering if Robberflies bite. Robber flies range in length to almost 8 cm (3 inches), making them the largest of all flies. Invertebrates are animals without backbones, including earthworms, slugs, snails, and arthropods. Required fields are marked *. For that reason, Robber Flies are efficient predators, and they have a big appetite for bugs. Females are larger than males. Nonetheless, it makes stinging motions, brandishing genitalia at the tip of its abdomen as if it had a stinger. The robber fly feeds on beetles, moths and butterflies, grasshoppers, wasps and bees, and other flies. Also in the Order Diptera (which includes all flies and mosquitoes) are the amazing robber flies. One noteworthy robber fly is the hanging thief which will feed on captured prey while hanging upside down from one leg. But true flies always have the same characteristics: only one pair of wings (bees and wasps have two pairs); the second pair of “wings” on true flies are reduced to tiny knobby structures called halteres (which function like gyroscopes, assisting flight). The robber fly is a predator of almost all flying insects. Once prey is spotted, it launches and grabs the insect in midair with spiny legs, then lands and uses its piercing mouthparts to drink the prey’s body fluids. Although humans are never on its menu, a robber fly can inflict a painful bite if mishandled. There are many different types of robber flies, … Robber flies are a diverse group of predatory flies that typically perch in an open area, swiveling their heads to look around, then flitting out to chase insect prey. Between the two large compound eyes, the head is depressed, with three tiny eyes (ocelli) in that little valley. We facilitate and provide opportunity for all citizens to use, enjoy, and learn about these resources. Most species of snipe flies do not bite, but some do use their mouthparts to inflict irritating bites. This family includes some of the largest and most distinctive insects in the order Diptera. The robber fly is the size of a grain of rice, but it could be described as the Top Gun of the fly world. Robber fly, (family Asilidae), any of about 6,750 species of predatory insects, worldwide in distribution, in the fly order, Diptera. The latter gave me the willies. Larvae are grublike and live in or on soil, among decaying materials, or in rotting wood. You might be seeing them yourself but simply not recognizing what they are. Robber flies also have a distinctive hollow space between their 2 large compound eyes. Robber flies are conspicuous denizens of the desert southwest, but are common nearly everywhere. I got some nice shots - they get better towards the end, so fast-forward if you get bored! The eyes are beautiful iridescent green, sometimes with a reddish or coppery cast. Bee flies are stout-bodied flying insects said to resemble bees, but there are syrphid flies and robber flies that do a much better job. Larval and adult robber flies are predators of other insects, and are famous for their ability to capture prey in the air. Learn more about this and other robber flies on their group page. The bite injects a digestive saliva into the prey, immobilizing it, and the fly returns to its perch to finish its meal. Tweet; Description: This is a large robber fly which is approximately 3/4 - 1 1 /2 inches in length. The grublike larvae, as they move around in decaying organic materials, eat the eggs and larvae of other insects. Robber flies’ audacity is legendary; on the Internet, one can find many stories of robber flies attacking bees, wasps, large grasshoppers, even hummingbirds. 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