CLOSED: Long-legged insect that eats bees and wasps

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dividedsky Indianapolis, IN(Zone 5b) Sep 02, 2010

Could you please tell me what this is?

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melody Benton, KY(Zone 7a) Sep 04, 2010

This looks somewhat similar to a Robber Fly (but not exactly) I'm pretty sure it is a close relative, but haven't pin pointed it exactly.

Robber Flies are predatory and will capture and consume other insects much like a dragonfly. This guy appears to have the same habits, the legs don't look quite right for a Robber fly though.

Here are our BugFiles images: http://davesgarden.com/guides/bf/adv_search.php?searcher[common]=robber+fly&searcher[bugorder]=&searcher[family]=&searcher[genus]=&searcher[species]=&Search=Search

And this one is one that I took of a robber fly holding its prey: http://davesgarden.com/guides/bf/showimage/3921/

I hope this helps.

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pennsylvanicus Royersford, PA Sep 04, 2010

You know, it actually looked to me like a robber fly on top of a captured harvestman, which would explain the long legs,but I didn't know if robber flys attack bees and wasps.

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melody Benton, KY(Zone 7a) Sep 04, 2010

Ahhh, that makes more sense. Yes, another common name for robber flies are Bee Killers. They are also known as the Hanging Thief (due to the way they hang from a couple of legs to eat their prey.

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dividedsky Indianapolis, IN(Zone 5b) Sep 05, 2010

It does look like that picture of Diogmites missouriensis, only I can't see its back. Here's a picture I took a few weeks later, and it does show the black markings.

Very interesting! Thanks for identifying the robber fly.

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suunto Sinks Grove, WV Sep 07, 2010

There seems to be some confusion here - the insect in the original photo is not a robber fly at all, it is a crane fly (Diptera: Tipulidae) - see http://tinyurl.com/2fz8joo for an example; the pattern on the thorax is diagnostic. These flies are not predators, so it would not have been what you saw feeding on/attacking other insects.

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melody Benton, KY(Zone 7a) Sep 07, 2010

Ahhh, now that makes sense.

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dividedsky Indianapolis, IN(Zone 5b) Sep 08, 2010

I apologize for the confusion. Thanks for clearing that up.

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