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In Wandoo National Park on Verticordia acerosa flower. It let us take photos from all angles.
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When the wings opened up they were a beautiful colouring.
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Beautiful Robberfly. It looked like the
same species that caught the 'March fly'
Scaptia singularisCheck this out!Explore: Jan 16, 2009 #334Explore: Jan 16, 2009 #1
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Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Robber fly sucking out the life force of a honey bee. Explore:Nov 15, 2008 #338Nov 15, 2008 #436
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These seem to be visible in the bush in the mornings and evenings when it isn't quite so hot. Then they sit and fly among the sedges growing on the sand. Photo: stack of two made in Photoshop.fly ~1.5cm +/-
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Asilidae Holding onto and feeding on a Kangaroo flies (Horse fly, March fly) Tabanidae: Scaptia singlularis
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Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Sitting on the rock waiting for a fly. There were thousands (of flies). A robber fly landed on the bonnet of the car which had some "bush flies" sitting on it. It stayed long enough for a fly to take off, then flew and captured the fly mid air. Yay!! for the Robber fly.
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Western Australia, Australia
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A light shower of rain had gone over while we were in the reserve, followed by sunshine. There is a raindrop on the thorax of the fly and a drop of water below its head. I wonder if these flies blow bubbles too.
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Asilidae Holding onto and feeding on a Kangaroo flies (Horse fly, March fly)
Tabanidae: Scaptia singularisMore intimate detail
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While out on one of our forest adventures, we came upon these fabulous flies mating. Overall together they would have been 8cm (3") long and able to fly. I can never see which one is flying or if they both manage to fly the same direction at the same time. Initially I saw them flying through the trees where they landed very high up and we used a stick to disturb them. Fortunately for me, they landed at the right height on a Jarrah tree for me to be able to photograph them. The male has different colouring on the abdomen than the female and the female is quite a lot larger than the male. Although I reckon the male has a bigger mustache. :-)
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Asilidae Holding onto and feeding on a Kangaroo flies (Horse fly, March fly) Tabanidae: Triclista singularis
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This was a large fly carrying something I suspect is a beetle. ~25mmNeosaropogon harlequinus
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I thought it might be two Robberflies mating as there seems to be quite a few of these beautiful flies around at the moment but then I thought, that's a funny position.It was only when I was looking at the photo I realized its prey didn't have the right antennae. It looks like its eating a wasp of similar colour and size.
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Asilidae Holding onto and feeding on a Kangaroo flies (Horse fly, March fly) Tabanidae: Scaptia singularis
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Another beauty. :) This one had an abdomen covered in golden hairs and the most beautiful golden wings.
Andrew Williams has an imformative website about Robberflies and he states:"Robber fly coloration varies, but nearly all are very hairy, or bristly. In the Asilidae family some good cases of what is called aggressive mimicry exist. Aggressive mimicry means that a predatory insect looks very much like its prey, camouflaging it among its dinner."They have just started flying and often will be seen sitting on the gravel floor of the forest. They are well camouflaged there looking very much like a short stick.
Questopogon clarkii - Thanks Chris Cohen East Carolina University (North Carolina, USA)