CLOSED: Big Black Fuzzy Fly?

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TxTurqoize San Antonio, TX(Zone 8b) Aug 27, 2006

I found this big guy just literally hanging from a flower stem early this morning. He had really long back legs and a small body with a whitish tuft under his/her chin. Is it a type of horsefly? Someone let me know!

Thumbnail by TxTurqoize
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TxTurqoize San Antonio, TX(Zone 8b) Aug 27, 2006

And here is a close-up of the big guy.... :)

Thumbnail by TxTurqoize
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hill5422 Stephenville, TX(Zone 8a) Aug 28, 2006

It's a robber fly, one of the Asilidae, but I have never seen it before. It looks like the colorfully named Beelzebub Bee-eater - Mallophora leschenaulti.
http://bugguide.net/node/view/55194/bgimage
There is an interesting note on this species by Herschel Raney at:
http://bugguide.net/node/view/55192/bgimage
at the bottom of the page. He says: "This is one of the largest Asilids in NA. And it is thought that it was actually established in Texas from a tropical storm that blew several Mexican species northward in August 1916. A man with a goat pen in Montel Texas noted these huge flies coming up from the rich soil in 1917 after never having had such beasts in prior years. He called attention to them and the first were collected. Apparently thay have been established since and there is a lady in Austin with a compost heap in her yard that gets them every year. She can hold them right after emergence when the wings are still drying until they fly off. Really impressive insects."

Whether the ID holds up or not, its a nice find TxT - thanks for posting it.

FM

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TxTurqoize San Antonio, TX(Zone 8b) Aug 28, 2006

Thanks for that bit of info...FM! That is mighty interesting...and I do believe that you nailed the species. That photo sure looks like my critter....I knew it wouldn't take long for one of my fellow DG'ers to figure out what it was...again...thank you, thank you...and for including that extra bit of info...

Melanie :)

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