Most of us have heard that female praying mantises eat their mates after mating, so what happens when a pair of cannibal flies mate?
I was quite a distance away when I spotted this pair of insects, but I immediately recognized them as Red-footed Cannibalflies (Promachus rufipes), a species of giant robber flies. These flies are really big and have a very distinctively shaped body (and I had done some research on them for a previous posting). Cannibalflies are fierce predators and are reportedly very aggressive. Would the male survive the mating process?
I observed the pair for quite a while and concluded that the “cannibal” in this insect’s name refers to its behavior toward other insects. The male cannibal fly flew away unscathed.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
At least in that position he can make a quick getaway! 😀
It’s not the most intimate position, but maybe it’s his version of “safe sex.”
lol 😀
A classic twofer, I bet he is glad he is’nt a mantis..:-)
They look very similar to the robber flies we get over here. I’ve seen them catch their prey they are really fast and vicious.
Everything that I read about robber flies suggests they are fierce predators. I’m glad that they are not any bigger than they are.
Maybe your presence assisted in the get away:)
That’s always possible, though I try not to interrupt them during such tender moments.
Just how big are they? They look scary! But nicely captured Mike 🙂
I think they are each supposed to be about 35mm in length, not necessarily huge, but pretty big by insect standards.
It’s good that they have a name that actually describes their behavior. (For a change)