Paul writes: Robberflies, as the name suggests, are predatory flies and their main source of food is other insects. They usually perch up, waiting for a suitable victim, then once found make a flying hop onto the prey. The flies have a short strong proboscis, which they use to stab their kill and inject it with saliva. This contains an enzyme to paralyse it and then digest the insides. They then suck up the liquefied material through their proboscis. A characteristic visual feature of robberflies is their dense bristly moustache, which is thought to help in the fight to overcome their kill.
The Common Awl Robberfly (Neoitamus cyanurus) is so named because of the long pointed ovipositor of the female. This one is a male, which I found a few days ago along a woodland ride in Dalby Forest, North Yorkshire. This is a typical habitat to find them in. I was about to take a photograph when the fly flew up and landed on my finger. Luckily it was still within focus distance and I managed a one handed shot. I’m not sure what the prey is but it is quite small. They will often take bigger insects, which can be almost the same size as they are.
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