robber fly (Laphria thoracica) at Lake Meyer Park IA 653A3664
I've been avoiding woodlands lately since I don't like giving away a pint of blood to thirsty mosquitoes but I had to find some shade today and so after dousing myself with DEET ventured off into one of the forests here at Lake Meyer Park where I found this fantastic robber fly. This huge guy looks just about like a bumble bee which not only helps it avoid predation but allows it to get very close to real bumble bees since they assume it is one of their bumble bee friends. However, bumble bees are one of this robber fly's favorite foods. They snatch a foraging bumble bee with those spiny legs and then stab it with a stiletto beak that immediately injects immobilizing toxins. They don't eat the bumble bee proper but instead suck out the nutritious liquid insides just like we drink a milkshake!
robber fly (Laphria thoracica) at Lake Meyer Park IA 653A3664
I've been avoiding woodlands lately since I don't like giving away a pint of blood to thirsty mosquitoes but I had to find some shade today and so after dousing myself with DEET ventured off into one of the forests here at Lake Meyer Park where I found this fantastic robber fly. This huge guy looks just about like a bumble bee which not only helps it avoid predation but allows it to get very close to real bumble bees since they assume it is one of their bumble bee friends. However, bumble bees are one of this robber fly's favorite foods. They snatch a foraging bumble bee with those spiny legs and then stab it with a stiletto beak that immediately injects immobilizing toxins. They don't eat the bumble bee proper but instead suck out the nutritious liquid insides just like we drink a milkshake!