Robber-fly
Guides
Laphria gilva
Orange-patched Laphria
Laphria gilva is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, commonly known as the Orange-patched Laphria. It is found in the Nearctic realm. The species has been documented mating on pine trees or stumps, with both sexes exhibiting polygamous behavior. As a member of the genus Laphria, it belongs to a group known for effective bumble bee mimicry, though specific mimetic characteristics for this species require further documentation.
Laphria grossa
giant laphria
Laphria grossa, commonly known as the giant laphria, is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae. It belongs to a genus noted for effective bumble bee mimicry, with species in this group recognized as among the most realistic mimics of bumble bees. The species was originally described by Fabricius in 1775 under the basionym Asilus grossus.
Laphria huron
Huron Laphria
Laphria huron is a species of robber fly (family Asilidae) described by Bromley in 1929. As a member of the genus Laphria, it belongs to a group known for effective bumble bee mimicry, with several species exhibiting dense yellow and black setation that closely resembles Bombus species. Robber flies in this genus are predatory as adults and are often found in open habitats where they perch on vegetation to hunt passing insects. The specific epithet 'huron' likely references the Great Lakes region or Lake Huron, though the precise type locality and detailed natural history of this species remain poorly documented in available sources.
Laphria index
Laphria index is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, described by McAtee in 1919. The genus Laphria contains species known for effective bumble bee mimicry, though specific details for L. index remain limited in published literature. The species has been recorded in the northeastern United States.
Laphria insignis
Remarkable Laphria
Laphria insignis is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, commonly known as the Remarkable Laphria. The species was originally described as Dasyllis insignis by Banks in 1917. Like other members of the genus Laphria, it is likely a bumble bee mimic, a trait common among species in this genus. As a robber fly, it is an aerial predator that captures other insects in flight.
Laphria ithypyga
Southern Arrowhead Laphria
Laphria ithypyga is a species of robber fly (family Asilidae) found in the United States. It is commonly known as the Southern Arrowhead Laphria. As a member of the genus Laphria, it is part of a group known for effective bumble bee mimicry, though specific morphological details for this species are not well documented in available sources.
Laphria janus
Orange-tailed Laphria
Laphria janus is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, described by McAtee in 1919. The species is recognized by its common name "Orange-tailed Laphria," referring to a distinctive coloration feature. Like other members of the genus Laphria, it exhibits bumble bee mimicry as a defensive adaptation. The species has been documented in the northeastern United States, particularly Vermont.
Laphria lata
Laphria lata is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae. Robber flies in this genus are notable for their effective mimicry of bumble bees, with hairy bodies and coloration that closely resembles their hymenopteran models. The species has been documented as a predator of Japanese beetles (Popillia japonica), using its piercing proboscis to subdue prey. As with other Laphria species, it likely exhibits the characteristic sit-and-wait hunting behavior typical of the genus.
Laphria macquarti
Laphria macquarti is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae. The genus Laphria is known for species that are effective mimics of bumble bees, with several species in this genus exhibiting this form of protective resemblance. Laphria species are generally characterized by their stout, hairy bodies and predatory habits typical of robber flies.
Laphria milvina
A species of robber fly in the genus Laphria, notable for its bumble bee mimicry. Members of this genus are recognized for their effective resemblance to bumble bees, a form of Batesian mimicry that may provide protection from predators. The species was described by Bromley in 1929. Like other Laphria species, it is presumed to be an active aerial predator of other insects.
Laphria posticata
Boreal Laphria
Laphria posticata is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, commonly known as the Boreal Laphria. The genus Laphria includes species known for effective bumble bee mimicry, with Laphria posticata occurring in northern regions of North America. Robber flies in this genus are aerial predators that capture prey in flight.
Laphria royalensis
A species of robber fly in the genus Laphria, known for effective bumble bee mimicry. As with other Laphria species, this taxon exhibits Batesian mimicry of bumble bees, with a hairy body and thick antennae distinguishing it from similar mimics in the genus Mallophora. The species belongs to a group of predatory flies that hunt other insects in flight.
Laphria sackeni
Laphria sackeni is a species of robber fly (family Asilidae) in the genus Laphria. Species in this genus are notable for their effective mimicry of bumble bees (Bombus spp.), a trait that distinguishes them from many other asilid genera. The genus Laphria is characterized by thick antennae, which helps distinguish it from superficially similar genera such as Mallophora. As with other robber flies, L. sackeni is presumably a predatory species, though specific details of its biology remain poorly documented.
Laphria sacrator
Bee-mimic robberfly, Yellow-waisted Laphria
Laphria sacrator is a robber fly in the family Asilidae, commonly known as the Bee-mimic robberfly or Yellow-waisted Laphria. The species exhibits bumble bee mimicry, with yellow hairs on the mystax, thorax, and portions of the abdomen. It belongs to a genus renowned for producing highly convincing bee mimics that deceive both predators and prey.
Laphria sadales
Red-legged Laphria
Laphria sadales is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, commonly known as the Red-legged Laphria. It belongs to a genus noted for effective bumble bee mimicry, with several species resembling bees in appearance and behavior. The species has been documented in the northeastern United States, including Vermont. Like other robber flies, it is presumed to be an aerial predator, though specific behavioral and ecological details for this species remain poorly documented.
Laphria saffrana
Laphria saffrana is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, subfamily Laphriinae. It belongs to a genus well-known for effective bumble bee mimicry, though specific details about this species' appearance and behavior are not well-documented in available sources. The species was described by Fabricius in 1805.
Laphria scorpio
Scorpion Laphria
A species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, described by McAtee in 1919. Little is documented about this specific species beyond its taxonomic placement. The genus Laphria includes species known for effective mimicry of bumble bees and other hymenopterans.
Laphria semitecta
Laphria semitecta is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, described by Coquillett in 1910. It belongs to the genus Laphria, a group known for effective bumble bee mimicry. The species is part of the diverse North American robber fly fauna, though specific documentation of this species in the provided sources is limited. Robber flies in this genus are predatory and often visually striking due to their mimicry adaptations.
Laphria sericea
Laphria sericea is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae. It is part of a species complex within the genus Laphria, which includes several bumble bee-mimicking species. The species is known from the eastern United States, with records from Vermont and other states.
Laphria sicula
Dagger Laphria
Laphria sicula is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, commonly known as the Dagger Laphria. The species was described by McAtee in 1919. Like other members of the genus Laphria, it is a predatory fly that exhibits bumble bee mimicry. It is part of a diverse genus of robber flies known for their effective mimicry of hymenopterans and their predatory habits.
Laphria thoracica
Eastern Yellow-backed Laphria
Laphria thoracica is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, commonly known as the Eastern Yellow-backed Laphria. The species is a notable bumble bee mimic, using its resemblance to stinging bees to avoid predation while ambushing prey. It belongs to a genus recognized for highly effective mimicry of bees and wasps.
Laphria trux
Laphria trux is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, described by McAtee in 1919. As a member of the genus Laphria, it belongs to a group known for effective bumble bee mimicry. Robber flies in this family are predatory insects that capture other insects in flight. Specific ecological details for this species remain poorly documented in available sources.
Laphria unicolor
Laphria unicolor is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae. The genus Laphria is known for species that are effective mimics of bumble bees, a trait shared with the unrelated genus Mallophora. Robber flies in this genus use their mimicry to deceive both predators and prey.
Laphria ventralis
Laphria ventralis is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, first described by Williston in 1885. The genus Laphria contains species known for their effective mimicry of bumble bees, though specific details about L. ventralis itself remain sparse in the literature. As with other robber flies, it is presumed to be an aerial predator. The species has been documented in at least 23 observations on iNaturalist, indicating it is encountered with some regularity by naturalists, though published biological studies appear limited.
Laphria virginica
Laphria virginica is a species of robber fly in the genus Laphria, commonly known as the 'bee-like robber flies' for their resemblance to bumble bees. The species was described by Banks in 1917. Like other members of the genus, it exhibits mimicry of Hymenoptera, which may serve as a defensive adaptation against predators.
Laphria vivax
Laphria vivax is a species of robber fly (Asilidae) described by Williston in 1883. As a member of the genus Laphria, it belongs to a group known for effective bumble bee mimicry, though specific details distinguishing L. vivax from congeners are limited in available sources. The species is accepted in current taxonomy but appears to be less documented than some other Laphria species.
Laphria winnemana
Laphria winnemana is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, described by McAtee in 1919. The genus Laphria is noted for species that are effective mimics of bumble bees (Bombus), a trait that distinguishes this group within the Asilidae. As a member of the robber flies, this species is presumed to be an active aerial predator. Specific ecological and behavioral details for L. winnemana remain poorly documented in published literature.
Laphystia
Laphystia is a genus of robber flies (family Asilidae) established by Loew in 1847. The genus contains at least 50 described species, with 56 species listed in current catalogs. Members are aerial predators within the order Diptera, though specific morphological and ecological traits distinguishing Laphystia from related asilid genera are not well documented in readily available sources.
Laphystia bromleyi
Laphystia bromleyi is a species of robber fly (family Asilidae) described by Wilcox in 1960. The genus Laphystia comprises small to medium-sized predatory flies distributed primarily in the New World. As a member of Asilidae, this species is presumed to be an aerial predator of other insects. Published records for this species are extremely limited, with minimal observational data available in public repositories.
Laphystia canadensis
Laphystia canadensis is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, described by Curran in 1927. As a member of this predatory fly family, it likely exhibits the characteristic hunting behavior of asilids, ambushing prey from a perch. The species epithet 'canadensis' indicates a North American distribution, though specific details about its biology and ecology remain poorly documented in the available literature.
Laphystia cazieri
Laphystia cazieri is a species of robber fly (family Asilidae) described by Wilcox in 1960. It belongs to the subfamily Laphriinae, a group characterized by their predatory habits and distinctive morphology. As with other robber flies, adults are aerial predators that capture and feed on other insects. The species epithet honors the entomologist Mont A. Cazier, who made significant contributions to the study of North American insects, particularly beetles.
Laphystia confusa
Laphystia confusa is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, described by Curran in 1927. As a member of this predatory fly family, it belongs to a group known for aerial hunting behavior and distinctive physical adaptations for capturing prey. The species is accepted in current taxonomy and is classified within the genus Laphystia.
Laphystia howlandi
Laphystia howlandi is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, described by Wilcox in 1960. It belongs to the genus Laphystia, a group of predatory flies characterized by their stout bodies and strong flying ability. The species is part of the diverse asilid fauna of North America. Like other robber flies, it is presumed to be an active aerial predator of other insects.
Laphystia jamesi
Laphystia jamesi is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, first described by Wilcox in 1960. It belongs to the genus Laphystia, a group of predatory flies within the order Diptera. As with other Asilidae, this species is presumed to be an aerial predator of other insects, though specific ecological details remain undocumented in available sources.
Laphystia laguna
A species of robber fly (family Asilidae) described by Wilcox in 1960. The specific epithet "laguna" suggests a potential association with lake or wetland habitats, though direct ecological observations remain limited. As with other Asilidae, it is predatory as an adult. Available occurrence records are sparse, with only four observations documented in iNaturalist.
Laphystia lanhami
Laphystia lanhami is a species of robber fly (family Asilidae) described by James in 1941. The genus Laphystia contains predatory flies that hunt other insects in flight. Like other Asilidae, this species likely exhibits the characteristic predatory behavior of the family, though specific natural history details for this particular species remain poorly documented in available literature.
Laphystia litoralis
Beach Robber Fly
Laphystia litoralis is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, commonly known as the Beach Robber Fly. It was described by Curran in 1931. As a member of the Asilidae family, it is a predatory dipteran that captures other insects in flight. The species epithet 'litoralis' suggests an association with coastal or shore habitats.
Laphystia martini
Laphystia martini is a species of robber fly (family Asilidae) described by Wilcox in 1960. Robber flies are predatory dipterans known for their aggressive hunting behavior and aerial capture of prey. The genus Laphystia is part of the diverse Asilidae family, which contains approximately 7,000 described species worldwide. Specific ecological and behavioral details for L. martini remain poorly documented in published literature.
Laphystia ochreifrons
Laphystia ochreifrons is a species of robber fly described by Charles Howard Curran in 1931. The species epithet 'ochreifrons' refers to the yellowish coloration of the frons (front of the head). As a member of the Asilidae family, it is an aerial predator of other insects. The genus Laphystia is primarily distributed in the Neotropical region.
Laphystia opaca
Laphystia opaca is a species of robber fly (family Asilidae) described by Coquillett in 1904. As a member of the Asilidae, it is a predatory fly that captures other insects in flight. The genus Laphystia belongs to the diverse assemblage of robber flies, though specific ecological details for this particular species remain poorly documented in available sources.
Laphystia rubra
Laphystia rubra is a species of robber fly (family Asilidae) described by Hull in 1957. As a member of the subfamily Laphriinae, it belongs to a group of predatory flies known for their robust build and aggressive hunting behavior. The specific epithet "rubra" (Latin for "red") suggests reddish coloration, though detailed species-level descriptions are limited in available sources. Robber flies in this genus are typically associated with woodland and forest edge habitats where they perch and ambush flying insect prey.
Laphystia rufiventris
Laphystia rufiventris is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, described by Charles Howard Curran in 1931. The specific epithet "rufiventris" refers to the reddish coloration of the abdomen. The genus Laphystia belongs to the subfamily Laphriinae, a group of robber flies characterized by their predatory habits and distinctive morphological features. As with other asilids, this species is presumed to be an active aerial predator of other insects.
Laphystia sexfasciata
Laphystia sexfasciata is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, first described by Thomas Say in 1823. The genus Laphystia belongs to the diverse asilid fauna of North America. As with other robber flies, this species is a predatory insect that captures other arthropods in flight. The specific epithet 'sexfasciata' refers to six bands or fasciae, likely describing a pattern on the abdomen or thorax.
Laphystia sillersi
Laphystia sillersi is a species of robber fly (Diptera: Asilidae) described by Hull in 1963. The genus Laphystia comprises predatory flies distributed primarily in the Neotropical region. As with other Asilidae, this species is presumed to be an aerial predator of other insects. No specific biological studies of this species have been published.
Laphystia texensis
Laphystia texensis is a species of robber fly (Asilidae) described by Curran in 1931. The specific epithet 'texensis' indicates a connection to Texas, likely referring to the type locality or primary distribution. As a member of the Asilidae family, it belongs to a group of predatory flies known for their agile flight and ambush hunting behavior. The genus Laphystia includes several North American species, though detailed biological studies for many remain limited.
Laphystia tolandi
Laphystia tolandi is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, described by Wilcox in 1960. As a member of the genus Laphystia, it belongs to a group of predatory flies known for their aerial hunting behavior. The species is recognized in taxonomic databases but remains poorly documented in biological literature.
Laphystia torpida
Laphystia torpida is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, described by Hull in 1957. It belongs to the genus Laphystia, a group of predatory flies characterized by their robust build and hunting behavior. The species is part of the subfamily Laphriinae, which includes many medium to large-sized robber flies with distinctive morphological features. Very few specific details are documented for this particular species beyond its taxonomic placement.
Laphystia utahensis
Laphystia utahensis is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, described by Wilcox in 1960. The genus Laphystia belongs to the diverse asilid fauna of North America, with this species distinguished by its specific epithet referencing the state of Utah. Robber flies in this genus are predatory insects that capture other arthropods in flight.
Lasiopagon pacificus
Pacific Sandpirate
Lasiopogon pacificus is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, commonly known as the Pacific Sandpirate. It was described by Cole and Wilcox in 1938. The species belongs to a genus of predatory flies that inhabit sandy environments. As with other Asilidae, it is presumed to be an active aerial predator of other insects. Available records indicate limited observation data, with approximately 20 documented sightings on iNaturalist.
Lasiopogon actius
Lasiopogon actius is a species of robber fly (family Asilidae) in the bivittatus section of the genus Lasiopogon. The species was described by Melander in 1923 and was validated as a distinct taxon in a 2021 molecular phylogenetic revision of Nearctic Lasiopogon. It is part of a species group characterized by distinctive morphological features within the western Nearctic fauna. Specific biological details remain poorly documented in accessible literature.