# Huge Robber Fly



## Galapoheros (Apr 22, 2008)

I posted pics of this a long time ago.  I'm really interested in the larvae of these but I can't find much info.  Anybody know anything about the larvae?  My hunch is that they are pretty impressive predators if they are anything like giant horsefly larvae, which I got tagged by when I was a kid digging around in the mud next to a pond.  Any info, esp a pic of a larvae would be cool to see.  I'm thinking the eggs are probably so sparsely laid that finding a larvae is pretty hard to do.  

I just noticed in my old post someone found a pic but I can't find one anymore.

Found a link
http://images.google.com/imgres?img...art=40&ndsp=20&um=1&hl=en&lr=&sa=N&as_qdr=all


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## apidaeman (Apr 22, 2008)

Beautiful bumble bee mimic robber fly.  Have seen several mimic varieties, that is a particularly beautiful variety.

Their larval form is also carnivorious. I would assume they would be difficult to raise in captivity.


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## Mat (Apr 22, 2008)

The larvae of most robber flie are, as far as I know, either predatory or ectoparasitic.  Most of them develop underground.  I species I am most familiar with (Asilus crabroniformis) is _supposed_ to predate the larvae of dung beetles, but the full life cycle has not been fully confirmed.  I don't thisk anyone had bred them in captivity.

Matt


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## lhystrix (Apr 25, 2008)

Check out Mallophora leschenaulti here:
http://www.hr-rna.com/RNA/Rfly pages/Mallophora page.htm
Might help.


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## Eclipse (Apr 25, 2008)

Ew you're actually holding it. I see robber flies all the time near the garbage can. They have an infinate amount of flies to feast on. I actually want to keep one.


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## Galapoheros (Apr 26, 2008)

Actually it was holding on to me, I was finally able to break loose:liar: .  Hi Jeff h, that link gave me more info than I ever thought I would find, thanks.  I'm in the Austin TX area like was mentioned in the link.  Sounds like they still don't know much about the larvae:? .


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## echostatic (Apr 26, 2008)

i saw one of these a while ago





i wish i had kept it... i love how they seem to have no fear.


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## Eclipse (Apr 27, 2008)

Who knows, this might be a new line of pets. I heard they can bite, but I don't know if it's true though.


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## froggyman (Apr 27, 2008)

can robber flies bite you?


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## lhystrix (Apr 27, 2008)

froggyman said:


> can robber flies bite you?


Yes. Bites from large robbers are as painful as a bee or paper wasp sting.
Also, their bite is more like a sting than a bite, as they actually pierce the skin with their mouthparts (note 'mouth' in echostatic's image above) and inject 'saliva'.


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## echostatic (Apr 27, 2008)

well if i had known that i wouldnt have gotten within an inch of its head... ouch.


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## P. Novak (Apr 27, 2008)

Haha it kind of resembles a bumblebee. Great find, and pretty darn big as well.


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## Jer (Apr 30, 2008)

These guys would look sexy on a #0.


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