Post by nomad on May 1, 2016 16:34:05 GMT
I found this Robber fly - Asilidae enjoying his lunch of a St. Mark’s Fly-Bibio marci. After neurotoxins cause paralysis of the victim, the robber fly inserts his prepharyx in the victims head (often the eyes) while proteolytic enzymes lead to the breakup and liquefaction of internal tissues; in a short time the predator is able to feed by sucking the internal fluids through the alimentary canal.
I perhaps could have obtained other images but the Robber-fly (Species unknown) did not like being photographed while feeding and quickly flew off with his victim to have his liquid lunch elsewhere.
I perhaps could have obtained other images but the Robber-fly (Species unknown) did not like being photographed while feeding and quickly flew off with his victim to have his liquid lunch elsewhere.
If the UK has a small butterfly fauna because of its diverse habitats or biotopes it has a very large insect fauna, there are 7000 UK Diptera species with new ones still being discovered! Unfortunately my image shown here was taken quickly in a shade but I have been told this is not a Robber fly but a Dagger Fly of the Empidae family. They piece often larger prey with their long pointed proboscis hence their English name but they are also sometimes called Dance flies. The Dagger fly in my image is likely to be either Empis tessellata or Empis opaca. Both have a very peculiar habit. The male has to present the female with an offering of a dead insect before he is allowed to mate with her. Amazing behaviour for a Diptera species. 