Robber Fly (Promachus painteri)
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There are 250 species of Robber Flies in Texas, and they are a diverse group. Identification is not always easy, and this particular one was done with a combination of help from Herschel Raney and process of elimination. Not all robber flies are large, but the bigger ones do tend to grab one's attention. This species is on the big side, and resembles a bumblebee. The female, shown at top, has a pointed abdomen, while the male, below with honeybee prey, has a tuft of hair on his rear. Robber flies are all predators of other flying insects. They can sometimes be spotted as they rest on a lookout branch, from which they attack.
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class: Insecta / order: Diptera / family: Asilidae / genus: Promachus / species: painteri
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