How can you tell a robber fly from a wasp or bee?
Robber flies are of the family Asilidae (true flies); they have just two wings (and no stinger), whereas wasps and bees have four wings.
What do robber flies mimic?
Robber flies like this one mimic the dreaded tarantula hawk wasp, deflecting predators. Like Pepsis formosa and Pepsis thisbe, the robber fly has brilliant orange wings, nature’s “red flag” to other species. Bright colors—red, orange, yellow—tend to be poisonous warning colors throughout the animal world.
Are Pepsis wasps poisonous?
Luckily, the sting is not dangerous, unless you are unfortunate enough to develop an allergic reaction. The area where you are stung may remain red for up to a week, but the pain from most stings subsides within just a few minutes.
Why is it called a robber fly?
The name “robber flies” reflects their notoriously aggressive predatory habits; they feed mainly or exclusively on other insects and, as a rule, they wait in ambush and catch their prey in flight.
Do robber flies have stingers?
I always thought the scariest part of my local robber flies was the sharp-looking projection on the tip of the abdomen; it looks like a stinger. Only the females have these. But they aren’t stingers, they are ovipositors, used to inject eggs into the soil.
Why are they called robber flies?
Where are Pepsis wasps found?
In the United States, they are found in the deserts of the southwest. Pepsis thisbe is most commonly seen on the South Rim and inside the Grand Canyon- areas where their prey, tarantulas, are most common.
How big is a Pepsis wasp?
2 inches
Tarantula hawks are large wasps. Pepsis thisbe, the most common species of tarantula hawk in the Grand Canyon, can grow up to 2 inches (5mm) in length. Tarantula hawks have dark blue, iridescent bodies, bright orange wings, and long legs. Males have straight antennae, females have curly antennae.
What does a Promachus fly do?
These flies most often capture their prey in flight and do not hesitate to attack butterflies, dragonflies, grasshoppers, bees, nor wasps. The genus Promachus is widespread across the United States, and species within this genus are very similar to the one pictured here, with an elongate body and with eyes that bulge out far above the head.
What is the scientific name of robber fly?
Common Name: Robber fly. Scientific Name: Varies. Order: Diptera. Description: Adult stages are medium to large (3/8 to 1-1/8 inch) flies often observed on stems of plants, on the ground or flying low. Species vary in appearance and some mimic wasps and bees.
What is the habitat of a robber fly?
Habitat and Food Source (s): Adults have piercing-sucking mouthparts. Adult robber flies perch on stems of low plants or other objects and attack prey in the air. They feed on bees, beetles, dragonflies, other flies, grasshoppers, leafhoppers, wasps, and other insects.
What do robber flies eat?
The Robber Flies from the genus Promachus are quite loud, but that does not stop them from being very effective hunters. Updated: 11/18/2021; Authored By Staff Writer; Content ©www.InsectIdentification.org Robber Flies eat all sorts of other flies as well as bees, wasps, beetles, and butterflies.