Robber-fly
Guides
Scleropogon picticornis
Scleropogon picticornis is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, a group of predatory true flies known for their aggressive hunting behavior. The species was described by Hermann Loew in 1866. Like other Asilidae, it possesses a stout body, strong legs with spines for capturing prey, and a distinctive concave facial profile between the eyes. The specific epithet 'picticornis' refers to the painted or marked antennae characteristic of this species.
Scleropogon subulatus
Scleropogon subulatus is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, first described by Wiedemann in 1828. It belongs to the genus Scleropogon, a group of predatory flies known for their distinctive elongated mouthparts and ambush hunting behavior. The species is part of the diverse Asilidae family, which contains approximately 7,000 described species worldwide. Available observation records indicate this species has been documented in multiple locations, though detailed ecological studies remain limited.
Scleropogon texanus
Scleropogon texanus is a species of robber fly (family Asilidae) originally described by Bromley in 1931. The species has been reclassified under the genus Stenopogon in some taxonomic treatments, though it remains listed under Scleropogon in other sources. Robber flies in this group are predatory insects known for their active hunting behavior. Specific biological details for this species remain poorly documented in available literature.
Sintoria cyanea
Sintoria cyanea is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, described by Wilcox in 1972. As a member of the diverse robber fly family, it belongs to a group of predatory flies known for their aggressive hunting behavior and stout, powerful build. The genus Sintoria is part of the Asilidae, one of the largest families within Diptera with over 7,000 described species worldwide.
Sintoria emeralda
Sintoria emeralda is a species of robber fly (family Asilidae) described by Hull in 1962. The specific epithet 'emeralda' suggests a green coloration. As a member of Asilidae, this species is a predatory fly. Information regarding its biology, distribution, and ecology remains extremely limited in published sources.
Stenopogon
Stenopogon is a large genus of robber flies in the family Asilidae, comprising at least 200 described species. Members of this genus belong to the subfamily Stenopogoninae and are distributed across multiple continents. The genus was established by Loew in 1847 and represents a diverse assemblage of predatory flies that share certain morphological and behavioral characteristics.
Stenopogon breviusculoides
Stenopogon breviusculoides is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, subfamily Stenopogoninae. The species was described by Bromley in 1937. As a member of the Stenopogoninae, it belongs to a group of generally small to medium-sized robber flies. Robber flies in this subfamily are predatory insects that capture other arthropods in flight.
Stenopogon breviusculus
Stenopogon breviusculus is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, subfamily Stenopogoninae. It was described by Loew in 1872. As a member of the Stenopogoninae, it belongs to a group of generally small to medium-sized robber flies. Very few specific observations or biological details have been published for this particular species.
Stenopogon californiae
Stenopogon californiae is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, subfamily Stenopogoninae. First described by Francis Walker in 1849, this species belongs to a genus of relatively small, predatory flies. Robber flies in this subfamily are characterized by their slender bodies and distinctive predatory behavior. Like other asilids, they are aerial predators that capture other insects in flight.
Stenopogon cazieri
Stenopogon cazieri is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, described by Brookman in 1941. The genus Stenopogon belongs to the subfamily Stenopogoninae, a group characterized by distinctive morphological features and predatory habits. Like other asilids, this species is presumed to be an aerial predator of other insects. Very little specific information has been published about this particular species beyond its original description and taxonomic placement.
Stenopogon engelhardti
Stenopogon engelhardti is a species of robber fly (family Asilidae) in the subfamily Stenopogoninae, described by Bromley in 1937. The genus Stenopogon belongs to a diverse group of predatory flies characterized by their aerial hunting behavior. Very little specific information is documented about this particular species beyond its taxonomic description.
Stenopogon inquinatus
Stenopogon inquinatus is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, subfamily Stenopogoninae. It has been studied for its behavioral thermoregulation in response to thermal variation. As a member of the Asilidae, it is presumed to be an aerial predator of other insects, though specific prey records for this species are not documented in the available sources.
Stenopogon lomae
Stenopogon lomae is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, described by Wilcox in 1971. As a member of the subfamily Stenopogoninae, it belongs to a group of generally small to medium-sized predatory flies. The genus Stenopogon is primarily distributed in western North America. Very little specific information is documented about this particular species.
Stenopogon obispae
Stenopogon obispae is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, described by Wilcox in 1971. As a member of the genus Stenopogon, it belongs to a group of predatory flies known for their aggressive hunting behavior. The species is documented from limited observations, with eight records currently available. Beyond its taxonomic placement, specific biological details remain poorly documented in published literature.
Stenopogon tolandi
Stenopogon tolandi is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, subfamily Stenopogoninae, described by Wilcox in 1971. As a member of the genus Stenopogon, it belongs to a group of relatively small robber flies. The genus Stenopogon is part of the diverse Asilidae family, whose members are predatory flies known for their agile flight and piercing-sucking mouthparts used to capture other insects. No specific observations of this species have been documented in the provided sources.
Stenopogoninae
robber flies
Stenopogoninae is a subfamily of robber flies (Asilidae) containing more than 70 genera and approximately 740 described species. Members are predatory dipterans found across diverse habitats worldwide. The subfamily includes notably small species such as those in the genus Eudioctria (6–8 mm), as well as larger forms. Many species exhibit characteristic perching behaviors on vegetation and are active predators of other insects.
Stichopogon
Stichopogon is a genus of small robber flies (family Asilidae) in the subfamily Dasypogoninae, comprising at least 100 described species worldwide. These diminutive predatory flies are most diverse in arid and semi-arid regions, with strong representation in North America, the Neotropics, North Africa, and the Middle East. The genus is ecologically associated with open, barren habitats—particularly sandy, gravelly, or rocky substrates near water or in dry washes—where they perch low to the ground and ambush small arthropod prey.
Stichopogon abdominalis
Stichopogon abdominalis is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae. It belongs to the genus Stichopogon, a group of relatively small predatory flies. The species was described by Back in 1909. Information regarding its specific biology, distribution, and ecology remains limited in the available literature.
Stichopogon argenteus
Silvery Pirate
Stichopogon argenteus is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, commonly known as the Silvery Pirate. Like other members of its genus, it is a predatory fly associated with sandy or barren habitats. The species was originally described by Thomas Say in 1823 as Dasypogon argenteus before being transferred to Stichopogon.
Stichopogon catulus
Stichopogon catulus is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae. It was described by Osten Sacken in 1887. Like other members of the genus Stichopogon, it is a predatory fly. The species has been documented through 106 iNaturalist observations, indicating it is encountered with moderate frequency by naturalists.
Stichopogon colei
Stichopogon colei is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, first described by Bromley in 1934. As with other members of the genus Stichopogon, it is presumed to be a predatory insect. The species is part of a genus containing ten North American species, many of which are associated with sandy or gravelly habitats.
Stichopogon fragilis
Stichopogon fragilis is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, described by Back in 1909. As a member of the genus Stichopogon, it belongs to a group of small, ground-dwelling predatory flies often associated with sandy or barren habitats. The species is poorly documented in available sources, with minimal published information on its biology and distribution beyond taxonomic records.
Taracticus
Rainbow Robbers
Taracticus is a genus of robber flies in the family Asilidae, commonly known as Rainbow Robbers. The genus was established by Loew in 1872 and contains approximately 16 described species. These predatory flies are part of the diverse Asilidae family, which is known for aggressive hunting behavior. The common name 'Rainbow Robbers' suggests distinctive coloration, though specific traits vary among species.
Taracticus octopunctatus
Eight-spotted Rainbow Robber
Taracticus octopunctatus is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae. It is commonly known as the Eight-spotted Rainbow Robber. The species was first described by Thomas Say in 1823, originally placed in the genus Dioctria as Dioctria 8-punctata. It is found in the eastern United States.
Taracticus paulus
Taracticus paulus is a species of robber fly (family Asilidae) described by Pritchard in 1938. The genus Taracticus comprises small, slender robber flies with distinctive wing venation and reduced mystax. As with other Asilidae, adults are predatory. The species is rarely documented, with only three observations recorded on iNaturalist, indicating either genuine rarity or limited survey effort in its range.
Tipulogaster glabrata
Shellac-backed Pixie
Tipulogaster glabrata is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, commonly known as the Shellac-backed Pixie. The species is characterized by its distinctive appearance and predatory behavior typical of robber flies. It has been recorded in the northeastern United States, including Vermont.
Townsendia albomacula
Townsendia albomacula is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, described by Martin in 1966. The genus Townsendia is a small group of asilid flies primarily found in the Neotropical region. As with other robber flies, this species is presumed to be a predatory insect, though specific details about its biology remain largely unreported in the scientific literature.
Townsendia arenicola
Townsendia arenicola is a species of robber fly (Asilidae) described by Scarbrough in 1995. The specific epithet "arenicola" suggests an association with sandy habitats. As a member of the genus Townsendia, it belongs to a group of small to medium-sized robber flies known for their predatory behavior. The species is documented in multiple taxonomic databases including GBIF, Catalogue of Life, NCBI, and iNaturalist, with 34 observations recorded on the latter platform.
Townsendia nigra
Townsendia nigra is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, first described by Back in 1909. As a member of the Diptera order, this predatory fly belongs to a family known for aggressive hunting behavior and strong flight capabilities. The species is part of the genus Townsendia, which contains multiple robber fly species distributed across North America. Specific ecological details about this particular species remain limited in available literature.
Trigonomiminae
Trigonomiminae is a subfamily of robber flies (Asilidae), a diverse group of predatory dipterans. Members are characterized by their predatory lifestyle and are part of one of the largest families of flies. The subfamily is distinguished by specific morphological traits that separate it from other asilid subfamilies. They occur across multiple continents and are active during warmer months.
Triorla
Triorla is a genus of robber flies (family Asilidae) containing approximately five described species. The genus was segregated from Efferia and is now widely regarded as valid. Triorla interrupta is the only species occurring in North America; other species are distributed from Panama to Argentina. These flies are predatory and share the general characteristics of Asilidae, including a robust body and predatory habits.
Triorla interrupta
Triorla interrupta is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae. It is the only North American species in the genus Triorla, with a second species occurring from Panama to Argentina. The species is considered the most common robber fly in Arkansas and is widely distributed across eastern North America.
Wilcoxia forbesi
Wilcoxia forbesi is a species of robber fly (Diptera: Asilidae: Stenopogoninae) described in 2019 from New Mexico. It belongs to the martinorum species group, characterized by specific structural features, seasonality patterns, and natural history traits. As a predatory fly, it has been documented capturing prey from at least four insect orders, with a particular emphasis on true bugs, beetles, wasps, and other flies.
Willistonina
Willistonina is a genus of robber flies (family Asilidae) established by Back in 1908. As members of the Asilidae, these predatory flies are characterized by their robust build and aerial hunting behavior. The genus contains relatively few described species and is poorly represented in collections and observations. Limited information exists regarding its species-level diversity and biology.
Willistonina bilineata
Willistonina bilineata is a species of robber fly (family Asilidae) first described by Williston in 1883. The species was originally placed in the genus Habropogon as H. bilineatus before being transferred to Willistonina. Asilidae are predatory flies known for their aggressive hunting behavior and distinctive morphology.
Wyliea
Bronzewings
Wyliea is a genus of robber flies in the family Asilidae, established by Martin in 1975. The genus is notable for species with vivid aposematic or mimetic coloration, particularly Wyliea mydas, which exhibits wasp-like coloration with a black body and red wings. These large, conspicuous flies are among the most visually striking members of the robber fly family due to their bold color patterns rather than enormous size.
Wyliea mydas
Mydas Bronzewing
Wyliea mydas is a large western robber fly (family Asilidae) noted for its striking wasp-mimetic coloration. The species exhibits a wholly black abdomen and vivid red wings, distinguishing it from similar mimetic flies. It has been documented from western North America, with its range extending into Mexico. The species is considered among the most visually impressive robber flies due to its bold aposematic coloration, presumably modeled after spider wasps in the genera Pepsis and Hemipepsis.
Zabrops flavipilis
Zabrops flavipilis is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, first described by Jones in 1907. The species is characterized by yellowish pile (setae), as indicated by its specific epithet "flavipilis" (Latin: flavus = yellow, pilus = hair). Very few observations exist—only 9 records on iNaturalist—suggesting it is either rare, locally distributed, or underreported. Like other Asilidae, it is presumed to be an aerial predator of other insects.
Zabrops tagax
Zabrops tagax is a species of robber fly (family Asilidae) described by Samuel Wendell Williston in 1883. The genus Zabrops is a small group within the diverse Asilidae family, which comprises predatory flies known for their aerial hunting behavior. This species is known from very few records, with limited documentation of its biology and ecology. Robber flies in this genus are generally associated with arid and semi-arid regions of western North America.
Zabrops wilcoxi
Zabrops wilcoxi is a species of robber fly (family Asilidae) described by Fisher in 1977. The genus Zabrops is a small group within the diverse robber fly family, which are predatory flies known for their aggressive hunting behavior. This species is documented from 18 iNaturalist observations, indicating it is encountered in the field but remains poorly known in terms of detailed biology.