Possible Robber Fly? Please Help!

[charlottiek]

I have about 30 of these in my backyard...they have decided that my yard is the place to be!
I don't really mind them being there but I would feel a whole lot better if I knew exactly what they are and why they like my yard so much.
I think it is one of the many types of Robber Flys, but then it looks like a hornet. I just want to make sure.
Sorry about the bad picture...my cat caught one and mangled it a bit.

Does anyone know?


Insect Picture

 

[GQ.]

That is a wasp/hornet. It is not a robber fly. The robber flies are most easily identifiable if you see them with a gun and a bandana over their proboscis. Unfortunately I have not been able to get a good picture of a robber fly or I would post one for you. Here is a picture of a few wasps on their nest for comparison. You can also spot a larvae or two. Check out the link below for an excellent picture of a robber fly.

http://www.enature.com/fieldguide/showSpeciesRECNUM.asp?recnum=IS0133

Gilbert

 

[charlottiek]

Thank you so much for the ID.
In that case, my question is what is the best way to get them to go away? I looked online and found a way to make a trap out of a plasic bottle but it did not work. It has been outside for about 3 hours and the hornets have no interest.
I have 2 dogs and I do not want anything to happen to them.

Thanks, k

 

[vespa_bicolor]

I don't know much about wasps elsewhere, indeed I've never seen any except in book illustrations. But that looks more of a solitary wasp. If so it would not pose a threat as much as a colony of social wasps; also in my experience they would not become pests around human food much and therefore not as attracted to those traps, which are usually meant to kill yellowjackets, etc.

 

[charlottiek]

Mystery Solved!!!

After much research and LOTS of scratching my head I figured it out...
The insects are Sphecius grandis or Cicada Killers.

There is a good page with pictures here -
Cicadakillerhome.html

Thanks everyone!

-k

 

[Brian S]

Another way of telling the difference in robber flies and wasps or bees is the robbers only have 1 pair of wings while the wasps or bees have 2. Robber flies will also have short straight antenae. Here in Missouri we have 1 species of robber fly that mimics a bumble bee. I am not sure what the name of the species is. Someone like Wade would probably know.

 

[charlottiek]

Ooops!

I meant Sphecius speciosus

After much research and LOTS of scratching my head I figured it out...
The insects are Sphecius grandis or Cicada Killers.

There is a good page with pictures here -
Cicadakillerhome.html

Thanks everyone!

-k

 

[Jesse607]

Another way of telling the difference in robber flies and wasps or bees is the robbers only have 1 pair of wings while the wasps or bees have 2. Robber flies will also have short straight antenae. Here in Missouri we have 1 species of robber fly that mimics a bumble bee. I am not sure what the name of the species is. Someone like Wade would probably know.

The horse bot fly Gasterophilus intestinalis is a large bumblebee mimic that looks similar to a robber fly.