Robber Fly

Open, sunny areas, fields, woodlands, and gardens where they can perch and spot prey.

Carnivorous; they feed on other flying insects, including bees, wasps, grasshoppers, and beetles, capturing them mid-air using their strong legs and piercing mouthparts.

They are active daytime hunters with excellent eyesight, often waiting on a perch (like a window screen, fence, or leaf) before launching a rapid aerial ambush on passing prey.

Generally beneficial as they help control populations of pest insects. They are harmless to humans, though they can deliver a defensive bite if handled carelessly.