Macro_

The Asilidae are a family in the order Diptera, the true flies. The common name for members of the family is the robber flies.

The Asilidae are cosmopolitan, with over 7000 described species. Latreille was the authority for establishing the family in 1802.^[3]

The Asilidae, together with Bombyliidae and Therevidae, are the most representative families of the superfamily of Asiloidea and

they form one of the most characteristic groups of the lower Brachycera.

Robber flies have stout, spiny legs and three simple eyes (ocelli) in a characteristic depression on the tops of their head between their

two large compound eyes.^[4] They also have a usually dense moustache of stiff bristles on the face; this is called the mystax, a term

derived from the Greek mystakos meaning “moustache” or “upper lip”. The mystax has been suggested to afford some protection for

the head and face when the flies deal with struggling prey; various Asilidae prey on formidable species including stinging Hymenoptera,

powerful grasshoppers, dragonflies and even other Asilidae, in fact practically anything of a suitable size. Some Asilidae do, however,

specialize in smaller prey, and this is reflected in their more gracile build.

In general, the family attacks a very wide range of prey, including other flies, beetles, butterflies and moths, various bees, ants,

dragonflies and damselflies, ichneumon wasps, grasshoppers, and some spiders. They do so apparently irrespective of any repugnatorial

chemicals the prey may have at their disposal.^[5] Many Asilidae when attacked in turn do not hesitate to defend themselves with their probosces

and may deliver intensely painful bites if handled incautiously.