(Dasyllis grossa, Fab.)
At first it looked as though this creature had two heads, one at each end of its body, but the great facet eyes, of which only one can be seen in the photograph, make it clear which is the head and which the egg-laying end of this strange, fearless robber of the air.
Just why it is called a robber fly when it really doesn’t rob at all, but kills, is a mystery to me.
ONE OF THE LARGE ROBBER FLIES
(Mallophora sp.)
This robber fly is not so quick nor so savage as many of its family. It waits for some slow moving insect to come along then pounces upon it.
It probably breeds in decaying wood, although this is not certainly known, and it is very difficult to breed them artificially.