Dark Robber Fly - Zosteria calignea
Family Asilidae
This page contains pictures and information about Dark Robber Flies that we found
in the Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia.
- Body length 30mm, female
-
Dark Robber Fly is large in size. The abdomen is black when viewed dorsally and
hairy down under. All legs are entirely black colour. The antennae are black
as well. Wings are hyaline with brownish black veins.
- The body colours make the robber fly camouflaged well on rough bark tree trunk. From reference information, the robber flies like to rest on large tree trunks.
- Pictures were taken in Karawatha Forest on Nov 2009.
- The Robber Flies are air hunter. They also known as an Assassin Fly and Bee Killer. They have piercing mouth-parts and strong legs which can catch prey on flight. They are medium to large size flies with large eyes and necked head. They are active predators on flying insects, unselective in prey species. Their mouthparts are the triangular proboscis which insert into prey and suck the juice. Robust flies prefer sunlit area to capture their prey. We have more information about Robber Fly in this Biology page.
- Reference:
- 1. A revision of Neoaratus Ricardo, with the description of six allied new genera from the Australian region (Diptera : Asilidae : Asilini) - G Daniels, 1987.
- 2. Asilini - Australian Asilidae - Dr. Robert Lavigne, Honorary Research Associate, South Australian Museum, Adelaide, SA.
