Although there are over 1,000 species in the United States alone, they prefer
arid, sunny habitats like deserts
. A few robber fly species are found in woodland settings, but they tend to congregate along the edge of the forest, or in grasslands.
Can a robber fly kill a human?
Robber flies, also known as “assassin flies,” often resemble wasps or bees more than they do flies. They certainly bear little resemblance to house flies. They
don’t carry diseases or bite people
, either. Instead, they are swift predators of other insects.
Do robber flies live in the ground?
After hatching, robber fly larvae
live in the soil or in various other decaying organic materials
that occur in their environment. Larvae are also predacious, feeding on eggs, larvae, or other soft-bodied insects. Robber flies overwinter as larvae and pupate in the soil.
Do robber flies live in Australia?
Robber flies
throughout Australia
. Because of their size and active habits, robber flies are one of the more common flies seen in Sydney.
How do you identify a robber fly?
Robber flies range in length to almost 8 cm (3 inches), making them the largest of all flies. Most are dull in colour, and their stout, often hairy, bodies resemble those of bumble bees. Between the large-faceted eyes is a moustache of bristles.
How long do robber flies live?
Complete development ranges from
one to three years
, depending on species and environmental conditions. Theodor (1980) proposed that larval growth is accelerated in warmer regions and that many Asilidae species live no longer than one year.
How do you kill a robber fly?
Bacillus thuringiensis will quickly destroy
the fly larvae, but keep in mind that their removal opens your lawn up to attack from grubs and other soil pests. Adults should not be sprayed with broad-spectrum pesticides, since this will destroy the insects that you’re presumably hoping to protect in your garden.
Why are they called robber flies?
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 eat mosquitoes?
Robber flies are predatory and
eat other insects
, making them a beneficial insect for the garden. Robber flies have big appetites for grasshoppers, mosquitoes and other insects and attack their prey while airborne.
Where do robber flies come from?
Robber flies are distinctive, medium-sized to large, bristly or hairy flies. There are over 1,000 species of robber flies (family Asilidae) in North America; and nearly 100 have been recorded from
the Upper Midwest
. The common name for this group comes from their ferocious manner of pouncing from the air on their prey.
What does a robber fly eat?
It appears that they eat anything that they can catch, for their prey species include
flies, beetles, butterflies, moths, bees, wasps, ants, grasshoppers, crickets, lacewings, dragonflies
, damselflies and mayflies. They also take other species of robber flies smaller than themselves.
How do you attract robber flies?
Composite flowers, like
zinnias and sunflowers
will attract robber flies and predatory wasps. Low growing herbs, like thyme and oregano give ground beetles cover for hiding. And, praying mantises like to hide in plants as well.
Are robber flies poisonous?
However, unlike bees and wasps,
Robber Flies do not sting
, and the “stinger” on this Robber Fly is actually a harmless ovipositor that she uses for laying eggs. … Although they don’t attack or bother humans, Robber Flies can bite quite painfully, so do not capture or pick up these flies with your bare hands.
Are robber flies attracted to light?
Small Robber Fly – Ommatius – BugGuide.Net. This was a small robber fly that I found while photographing moths. It
was attracted to lights at night
.
How many legs do robber flies have?
They are bearded, having fine hair that covers their piercing mouthparts. The
six legs
are usually long, bristled, and strong for grabbing and holding prey. Adult are active in the warm summer months and they like sunny, arid hunting grounds the best. The life cycle of the robber fly is a complete metamorphosis.
Do robber flies have stingers?
The main prey of robber flies are flying insects. … 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.
