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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » "Orthorrhapha" (Brachycera excluding Aschiza and Schizophora) » Asiloidea » Robber Flies (Asilidae) » Asilinae » Asilus » Asilus sericeus
Photo#21720
Unknown Flying Carnivore - Asilus sericeus
Copyright © 2005 daniel russell

Unknown Flying Carnivore - Asilus sericeus
Glen Cove, Nassau County, New York, USA
June 23, 2005
Size: 1.5cm
While I was trying to photograph a small butterfly, this insect nailed it in mid air and carried it off into the underbrush for lunch. Its still holding it in these photos.
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Contributed by daniel russell on 24 June, 2005 - 7:08pm
Last updated 30 July, 2005 - 9:14am

Robber Fly (Asilidae)
Someone will probably ID the genus/species - more info and images in Guide. The butterfly looks like a Cabbage White and the curly thing is its proboscis (or haustellum) used for sucking nectar from flowers.
… Robin McLeod, 24 June, 2005 - 9:13pm login or register to post comments

 
Yes!
Hehe... thanks. I spent a good part of last evening rummaging thru the database here, without much luck. Looking now under "robber fly" I found a pretty close match with Asilus sericeus! Thanks for the direction.
… daniel russell, 25 June, 2005 - 3:38am login or register to post comments

 
Asilus
This is indeed Asilus sericeus. Needs to move to that page.
… Herschel Raney, 27 July, 2005 - 10:56pm login or register to post comments

PS: the little curleque which
PS: the little curleque which appears to be issuing from the insect's head in the photo at right is, in fact, part of the butterfly and not the brown insect.
… daniel russell, 24 June, 2005 - 7:30pm login or register to post comments

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