Subfamily Dasypogoninae
Family Asilidae
This page contains pictures and information about Robber Flies in Subfamily Dasypogoninae
that we found
in the Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia.
- Robber flies in this subfamily have the wing vein R2+3 open, ending on the wing margin. Their antenna terminal is sometimes thickened. The fore tibia with an apical spur; one of the spines at the apex of the ventral side of the fore tibia is enlarged. Some robber flies in this subfamily have orange or yellow marking on body or wings to mimic sphecid and vespid wasps.
-
- Giant Robber Fly
- Phellus olgae, body length 45mm
- This is one of the largest fly species with wing-spans up to 75mm. We saw this fly once in Daisy Hill Forest during later summer. It was resting on a large tree trunk. We noticed the fly by its large compound eyes and golden hairs on its face. It flied fast in short distance with loud buzzing sound.
- Spider-wasp-mimicking Robber Fly
- ? sp., body length 20mm
- This Robber fly has a black body, very long legs and golden wings. Its colour pattern mimics the Spider Wasp.
- It was resting on a large tree trunk in Karawatha Forest during early summer. When we came close, it opened it wings, bend its abdomen , making the stinging action and show its yellow bands on its abdomen, tried very hard to convince us that it was a real Spider wasp.
- Wasp-mimic Robber Fly
- Chrysopogon proximus, body length 25mm
- In mid summer we found this Wasp Mimic Robber Fly hunting on the ground among the dry leaves in Mt Cotton bushland. At first we thought it was a wasp and put those pictures in our Vespid Wasps page. Rob Longair, University of Calgary, send us email and advised that "It is actually a robber fly (Diptera: Asilidae) mimic of a wasp. The antennae and the stance in the second picture are typical of robber flies." Here we would like to thank Rob again. More information and pictures about this fly can also be found in this page.
- Zebra Robber Fly
- ? Chrysopogon sp., body length 20mm
- The Robber Flies have alternating black and white strips on body so we called them Zebra Robber Flies. We saw them a few times in Karawatha Forest during mid summer. This Rubber Fly waits for prey on tree trunk.
- Band-winged Robber Fly
- ? sp., body length 10mm
- Saw this Band-winged Robber Fly once in the Reserved Ares near Tingalpa Resovior on Nov 2009. This is a small robber fly with black body and wings banded with black and golden-orange colours.
- Orange Robber Fly
- ? sp., body length 10mm
- This Robber Fly is bright orange in colour. We found it in Ford Road Conservation Area on Feb 2011. The fly was flying in short distance between low plants hunting for prey.
- Reference:
- 1. Insects of Australia, CSIRO, Division of Entomology, Melbourne University Press, 2nd Edition 1991, p 758.
- 2. Insects of Australia and New Zealand - R. J. Tillyard, Angus & Robertson, Ltd, Sydney, 1926, p362.
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[ Up ] [ Leptogasterinae ] [ Asilinae ] [ Ommatiinae ] [ Dasypogoninae ] [ Laphriinae ] - 1. Insects of Australia, CSIRO, Division of Entomology, Melbourne University Press, 2nd Edition 1991, p 758.
