Robber flies mating

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Robber flies mating

June 28, 2021 by Mike Powell

When it comes to insects, I devote the majority of my attention to dragonflies and butterflies. However, there are other insects that periodically capture my attention, like this mating pair of bee-like robber flies (Laphria index/Laphria ithypyga) that I spotted last week at Occoquan Regional Park. I had no idea what species they might be, but was able to get some help when I posted the photo in a robber fly Facebook group. Yes, there actually is such a group in Facebook.

My favorite robber fly, though, is the Red-footed Cannibalfly—there is something about its creepy name that has always fascinated me. Apparently I am not alone, because a posting I did in 2013 that was simply titled Red-footed Cannibalfly has had 2,798 views to date, including 228 views last year, making it my second most viewed posting ever. Most people appear to find the posting by doing a search in Google for “Red-footed Cannibalfly.” My posting used to show up on the first page of results for that Google search, but has now slipped lower, though it was still the third entry when I did the same search in Bing this morning.

I definitely do not understand insect mating practices, so I will leave it to your imagination to figure out what is going on in this photo. As for me, I can’t help but think of one of Dr. Dolittle’s fantastic animals, the pushmi-pullyu.

Have a wonderful Monday.

Posted in Insects, Macro Photography, Nature, Photography, Summer, wildlife | Tagged Canon 50D, Laphria index, Laphria ithypyga, Lorton VA, mating robber flies, Occoquan Regional Park, robber flies, Tamron 180mm | 7 Comments

7 Responses

on June 28, 2021 at 8:30 am | Reply Reed Andariese

Very Nice Mike!
- on June 28, 2021 at 9:59 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Reed.
on June 28, 2021 at 3:15 pm | Reply Steve Gingold

Nice catch, Mike. And well captured.
- on June 28, 2021 at 5:37 pm | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Steve.
on June 29, 2021 at 10:36 am | Reply Jet Eliot

Fantastic photo, Mike, and your narrative had me laughing out loud. Just as I was thinking, OMG, there’s a robber fly Facebook following???, you confirmed it in your funny next sentence.
- on June 29, 2021 at 11:41 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Jet. I know it sounds strange, but there are currently 719 members (including me) of the Facebook group called “Robber Flies (Asilidae) of North America.
on August 22, 2021 at 9:20 pm | Reply Paul deMarrais

I am seeing lots of large mating robber flies this year in northeastern Tennessee. I noticed them killing honeybees and lots of other victims. I’ve taken some good photos of them. I wonder if they just mated one time per male as I have seen a ton of mating pairs in the last several weeks. Seems to be a large population of this species in this meadow. THey are very loud and the buzzing can be easily heard, especially the mating pairs.