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Robber Fly


Robber Fly
Photo Information
Copyright: Angelina Deans (angybone) Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1191 W: 14 N: 2371] (7672)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-09-21
Categories: Insects
Camera: OLYMPUS E-500, Olympus Zuiko 40-150 f3.5-5.6
Exposure: f/4.5, 1/640 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Map: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-09-30 6:51
Viewed: 642
Points: 52
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
I wondered if this was a robber fly because it didn't look like some of those on this site. So I looked around on the internet and learned there are over 7,000 species of robber flies world wide and 1,000 in North America. No wonder there are so many diverse looks to this interesting insect.

From Texas A&M's site:

Robber Fly
Common Name: Robber fly
Scientific Name: Varies
Order: Diptera

Description: Adult stages are medium to large (3/8 to 1-1/8 inch) flies often observed on stems of plants, on the ground or flying low. Species vary in appearance and some mimic wasps and bees. Most species are gray to black, hairy-bodied, have a long, narrow, tapering abdomen containing segments that may be banded, patterned or contrasting in color. The heads of adults have a depression between the eyes when viewed from the front. They have long, strong legs for grabbing prey.

Some robber flies resemble bees in a appearance but can readily be separated since true flies have only one pair of wings. However, bee flies (Diptera: Bombyliidae) are another family of flies, and include many species of stout-bodied, yellow haired flies often seen hovering or resting on the ground or on flowers in open, sunny areas. Many have wings marked with darker patterns and they hold their wings outstretched. Larvae are parasitic on immature stages of other insects including Coleoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, Neuroptera and Orthoptera.

Life Cycle: Adults lay eggs in the soil or in plants. Eggs hatch into slender, shiny, white, legless larvae that develop through several stages before pupating. The life cycle usually requires more than one year to complete.

Habitat and Food Source(s): Adults have piercing-sucking mouthparts. Adult robber flies perch on stems of low plants or other objects and attack prey in the air. They feed on bees, beetles, dragonflies, other flies, grasshoppers, leafhoppers, wasps, and other insects. Larvae live in the soil, in wood and other habitats, feeding on organic matter, other arthropods such as white grubs, beetle pupae and grasshopper egg masses, and they may be carnivorous.

Pest Status: Adults prey on a variety of arthropods; considered to be beneficial insects, except for those that feed on bees and other beneficial insects; adults, handled improperly, are capable of inflicting a painful bite.
fartash, XOTAELE, jmirah, eqshannon, nglen, martic, gracious, jaycee, kessi, Patleboss, dB_grafix, Jamesp, nainnain, SelenE, haraprasan, Silke, CeltickRanger, marhowie, Alex99 has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello Angy
Wonderful shot of this Robber Fly,
I haven't seen one since a lond time ago,
Perfect details,BG and colors,Superb shot.

Good Luck
Fartash

Hola Angelina.
Muy buenos detalles y estupenda nitidez.
Bellos colores y genial nota.
Saludos, JL.

  • Great 
  • batu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1061 W: 290 N: 3960] (13380)
  • [2007-09-30 7:46]

Hello Angelina,
optimal choice of the robberfly to rest on the brown leaf which shows colour nuances identical with its own ones. Well focused, pretty good sharpness and excellent general composition.
Best wishes, Peter

Hi Angy,
Very colorful photo with fine detail. It looks like a King surveying it's realm from a high vantage point. Very well captured.

TFS
Jim

An excellent close in Angel. You don't take many pics this close in. Indeed good and still retains your certain touch.
Bob

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2921 W: 34 N: 8658] (32266)
  • [2007-09-30 8:46]

Hi angelina. You have captured a fine shot of the robber fly. rich colours and fine detail. a nice pose on the leaf with a good POV/DOF. well done TFS. good notes too.
Nick..

  • Great 
  • martic Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 179 W: 3 N: 156] (1315)
  • [2007-09-30 10:06]

Hello Angelina,
Nice shot of this insect that I never seen hier, Fine colors and well focused with a beautiful BG
Very well done
Friendly
Jean-Michel

Hello Angy,
Excellent exposure and focus indeed!
good pov with perfect sharpness, vivid colour and details always
thanks for sharing and notes
cheers
Tony

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2001 W: 226 N: 6845] (24727)
  • [2007-09-30 12:28]

Hi Angy,
a nice capture of this insect that is usually quite hard to photograph as they flit about all over the place hunting for food.
+++ Sharp with nice details. I love the green eye and the saturated colours. Great DOF.
--- Nothing :)
Well done,
Joe

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2493 W: 11 N: 6885] (21912)
  • [2007-09-30 12:35]

Hi Angy,

Amazing that he chose a leaf that matched himself so well! That and the greens make a lovely sight. Nice details, colors, and background.

Jane

  • Great 
  • kessi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 83 W: 5 N: 74] (221)
  • [2007-09-30 13:02]

Woowee, Angy,
Excellent capture....the way he holds onto the leaf with his claws is brilliantly clear ..... his mouthparts also stand out strongly against the green blurred background .... I particularly like the colours of the brown robber fly on the brown leaf against the green background.

Verrry nice.

kessi

Hello Angelina,
excellent macro-shot of this Robber fly, very good focus with an ideal deeph of field, splendid colors and background, great point of view,
cheer and thanks for sharing,
friendly,
Pat

Impresionante toma. Bien plasmado el mimetismo con la hoja. Buen enfoque, siendo dificil enfocar el cuerpo entero por esos colores y texturas. Excelente toma Angelina.

J. Ignasi

  •      
  • Juyona Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2267 W: 10 N: 2646] (15625)
  • [2007-09-30 18:41]

Hola Angelina,
estupendo trabajo,
bello pov y detalles...
estupenda composición, y foco.
saludos
pt

  • Great 
  • Dave Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 525 W: 47 N: 674] (2173)
  • [2007-09-30 19:08]

Hi Angy,
My first SLR was an Olympus OM1. It looks like they are still capable of doing good work.

Excellent shot of the Robber Fly! Well composed!

TFS,

Dave

Angelina....Another razor sharp image.
The deep colour and shadowing sure are the highlights here.
It is incredible just how well it blends into the leaf.
You have perfect lighting and focus.
Great info too.
Have a fantastic week ahead.
Whew....caught up on your photos now.

Hi Angy
Excellent exposure and focus indeed on this Robber Fly.Great sharpness and detail.Well Done,TFS
Tom

  • Great 
  • Jamesp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1351 W: 0 N: 5494] (16524)
  • [2007-09-30 23:58]

Hi Angelina

Excellent focus and handling of the exposure here. A wonderful posting.

James

hello ANGELINA
visite de nouvelles galerie pour changer un peu et je vois ton image magnifique sous mes yeux.
parfaite présentation, les couleurs sont nettes, belles et chaudes sur un excellent BG
bravo et merci a toi du partage
edith

  • Great 
  • SelenE Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2405 W: 63 N: 4227] (13822)
  • [2007-10-01 2:57]

Hi Angelina,
It's a very nice capture of this robberfly. Light, colors and details look very good. TFS
Best wishes,
Selen

Hi Angelina,
A beautiful capture of this robberfly with glowing green eyes. I have also captured one with glowing red eyes. It looks more like a robot fly to me :D. Excellent details and POV. Today I am posting the picture of the tiny flower which blooms on a climber plant which looks more likely the climber plant in your last post of Grasshopper trophy. I think you can help me Identifying it.
Thanks a lot for sharing.

  • Great 
  • Silke Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 727 W: 98 N: 1694] (5406)
  • [2007-10-01 7:19]

Truly amazing details!
Excellent diagonal composition as well
tfs
silke

hello Angelina

in this excellent photo, i like the luminosity and the framing

TFS

Asbed

Hi Angy,
These are one of my favorite insect predators, but I haven't seen any up here this year :(
Great macro. I really like the color, light, pose, and details I see :)
Very well done.
Howard

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1899 W: 36 N: 5579] (18518)
  • [2007-10-16 0:38]

Hi Angelina,
Just acknowledging this wonderful shot. Superbly done. Wish I could write a few more words, pity my net problem does not allow that. Sorry.
TFS this awesome shot.
Sumon

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3591 W: 143 N: 5691] (18607)
  • [2008-02-15 10:15]

Hi Angelina.
I have few rather nice robber fly pictures but yours is simply amazing. The scenery is superb and insect is looked on the dry leaf perfectly. Sharpness and details of the shot, boastfulness of the colours are outstanding as well as the composition at whole. DOF is precise and BG is fine. Bravo. Perfect close-up work.
Alexei.

Nice shot. Great pov and the sharply focussed bright green eye looks beautiful.

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