Robber flies - Machimus - Sveðjur - Sveðjuflugur - Ránflugur - Skordýr - Pöddur

Robber flies - Machimus atricapillus/ Kite-tailed Robber Fly - or - Machimus cingulatus /Brown Heath Robberfly - Sveðjur - Sveðjuflugur - Assassin flies - Soldierflies - Ядовитая муха - Gewone roofvlieg - Rotbeinige Mordfliege - Jagdfliege - Mosca 'assassina' - Ктырь горбатый - Robberfly - Raubfliege - Sveðjuflugnætt - Asilidae - Insect predator - Ræningjaflugur - Ránflugur - Fluga með brodd - Skordýr - Skordýralíf - Flugur - Pöddur - Veiðiflugur - Smádýralíf. Robber flies have stout, spiny legs and they have three simple eyes (ocelli) in a characteristic depression on the top of their head between their two large compound eyes. They also have a usually dense moustache of stiff bristles on the face; this is called the mystax, a term derived from the Greek mystakos meaning "moustache" or "upper lip". The mystax has been suggested to afford some protection for the head and face when the flies deal with struggling prey. In general the family attacks a very wide range of prey, including other flies, beetles, butterflies and moths, various bees, ants, dragon and damselflies, ichneumon wasps, grasshoppers, and some spiders. They do so apparently irrespective of any repugnatorial chemicals the prey may have at its disposal. Many Asilidae when attacked in turn do not hesitate to defend themselves with their proboscides and may deliver intensely painful bites if handled incautiously. The fly attacks its prey by stabbing it with its short, strong proboscis, injecting the victim with saliva containing neurotoxic and proteolytic enzymes which very rapidly paralyze the victim and soon digest the insides; the fly then sucks the liquefied material through the proboscis. Many Asilidae have long, tapering abdomens, sometimes with a sword-like ovipositor. Others, for instance Laphria, are fat-bodied bumblebee mimics. See more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asilidae Machimus cingulatus - Robber flies, sometimes called Assassin flies, are predatory flies which chase other insects in mid-air.They often sit for long periods at a time, scanning the sky above them, before suddenly darting up (usually less than 100cm) to catch their prey. The prey is then squeezed between the legs and sucked dry with a long proboscis. See more: https://www.uksafari.com/robberflies.htm Robber flies overwinter as larvae and pupate in the soil. As the weather warms up, the puparia migrate to the surface and emerge as adults. The entire life cycle takes at least a year. See more: https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/beneficials/beneficial-27_robber_flies.htm Identification of three confusingly similar robberflies: Kite-tailed Robberfly Machimus atricapillus, Brown Heath Robberfly M. cingulatus and Irish Robberfly M. cowini. These species are similar in size and general colours, and although the markings on the legs are a very useful guide for identification they can vary, so consult the full details and key in Malcolm's paper to confirm identifications. See more: https://www.brc.ac.uk/soldierflies-and-allies/node/44 The insect was unharmed in the making of this video. Unfortunately handheld, with such a macro the video is shaky and not always on focus. I filmed this with Panasonic Lumix DMC- TZ40 camera