Subfamily Asilinae
Family Asilidae
This page contains pictures and information about Robber Flies in subfamily Asilinae that we found in the Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia.
- Most Robust flies are with noticeable "beard" of setae around the face. It is believed that they serve as protection to their face from damage by their prey.
- Robber flies in this subfamily have the wing vein R2+3 ending on R1, with slender antennal style. They are common in Brisbane bush. Most of them look similar and hard to be identified in species level.
- Common Brown Robber Fly
- Zosteria sp., body length 25mm
- This Brown Robber Fly is the most commonly seen Robber Fly in Brisbane bushland. Their mouthpart is the large pointed proboscis. Their thorax and legs are hairy. Their abdomen are long and thin. More pictures and information about this species can be found in this page.
- Common Black Robber Fly
- ? sp., body length 15mm
- This robber fly like to rest on bare soil, rock surface and sometimes found rest on termite mount. This species is very co-operative with the camera man, they will not move even if we come very close. More pictures can be found in this page.
- Giant Yellow Robber Fly
- Blepharotes coriarius, body length 45mm
- We saw this large robber fly a few times in Karawatha Forest. This Large Robber Fly looks similar to the Giant Robber File above, except it is smaller in size, the hairs on its legs are black in colour. Please visit this page for more pictures and information.
- Giant Blue Robber Fly
- Blepharotes spendidissimus, body length 35mm
- The Giant Blue Robber Fly has the relatively small head, legs are not long but with board abdomen. The body and legs is covered with short grey hairs. Whole body, includes eyes, abdomen and legs are in dark steel blue colour. Pair of Wings are tinted in steel blue as well. Please check this page for more details.
- Small Yellow Robber Fly
- Dolopus sp., body length 15mm
- This robber fly is grey in colour, wings tinted with reddish brown. Legs are black with yellowish-brown. Its antenna are slender style. It is medium in size, usually found resting on tips of stems. We have more information in this page.
- Golden Brown Robber Fly
- ? sp. body length 20mm
- This robber fly is golden brown in colour with black eyes. All its legs are brown. The fly in the pictures has captured a Crane Fly. Pictures were taken in Karawatha Forest in mid summer.
- Red Eyes Robber Fly
- ? sp. body length 20mm
- This pairs of robber flies are brown in colour with reddish brown eyes.
- Unknown Robber fly with Humpback
- ? sp. body length 15mm
- Pictures taken in Karawatha Forest on Feb 2008.
- Robber flies in this subfamily look very similar. We are not sure if we have identified them correctly. Please use the ID information with care. If you can confirm any ID of them, please send us an email.
- 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, p363.
- 3. A revision of Neoaratus Ricardo, with the description of six allied new genera from the Australian region (Diptera : Asilidae : Asilini) - G Daniels, 1987.
