ONH

  • 2038
  • 3303
  • 6489
  • P1800859
  • P1800888
  • 2877
  • 2890
  • 2955
  • 2914
  • P1590610
  • P1130720
  • P1190792
  • DSCN0719
  • P1190596
  • DSCN0719
  • 2038
    1 - Robber Fly, Cyrtopogon sp. with prey.

    10/27/2008 Upper Wolf Creek Trail, Hurricane Ridge, Olympic National Park, Washington

  • 3303
    2 -Robber Fly. Laphria ventralis male on a Big-leaf Maple leaf Acer macrophylum

    09/21/2008 Port Angeles, Washington

  • 6489
    3 - Robber Fly. Laphria unicolor.

    06/24/2008 Port Williams, Marlyn Nelson County Park, Sequim, Washington

  • P1800859
    4 - Robber Fly. Laphria sp. on a beach log.

    07/08/2024 Mouth of the Elwha River, Port Angeles, WA

  • P1800888
    5 - Robber Fly. About 45 seconds after slide 4. The Robber Fly jumped off the log, captured a beetle (maybe Wharf Borer, Nacerdes melanura) and jumped back to almost the same spot on the log.

    07/08/2024 Mouth of the Elwha River, Port Angeles, WA

  • 2877
    6 - Robber Flies mating, Lasiopogon fumipennis.

    06/14/2009 Hurricane Hill Area, Olympic National Park, Washington

  • 2890
    7 - Robber Fly with winged ant prey.

    08/16/2012 Sunrise Ridge Trail, Olympic National Park, Washington

  • 2955
    8 - Robber Fly, likely Laphria janus

    08/16/2012 Obstruction Point Road, Near Cox Valley Trailhead, Olympic National Park, Washington

  • 2914
    9 - Robber Fly

    05/26/2017 Port Williams, Marlyn Nelson County Park, Sequim, Washington

  • P1590610
    10 - Robber Fly, Stenopogoninae

    07/18/2017 Sunrise Ridge Trail, Olympic National Park, Washington

  • P1130720
    11 - Robber Fly in flight.

    06/14/2015 Obstruction Point Road, Near Cox Valley Trailhead, Olympic National Park, Washington

  • P1190792
    12 - Robber Fly standing on the surface of a small alpine pond.

    08/01/2015 Obstruction Point Area, Olympic National Park, Washington

  • DSCN0719
    13 - Robber Fly pupal case. (See main text.)

    05/13/2010 Railroad Bridge Park, Sequim, Washington

  • P1190596
    14 - Robber Fly pupal case. (See main text.)

    05/01/2014 Port Williams, Marlyn Nelson County Park, Sequim, Washington

  • DSCN0719
    15 - Robber Fly pupal case. (See main text.)

    09/16/2008 Blue Mountain/Deer Park, Olympic National Park, Washington

Robber flies (Family Asilidae) are predatory, attacking many insects, including some larger than themselves. The family contains about a thousand species in North America. Species vary in size, and some are bee mimics. Slides here are from sea level to more than a mile in altitude.

Robber flies typically overwinter as pupae, emerging in the spring. Some species prefer to lay eggs in old Wood-boring beetle holes (Family Buprestidae) in beach logs. The pupa wiggles partly out of the hole, then the adult splits the pupal case and emerges. (Slides 11, 12 and 13)

All identifications by way of bugguide.net.