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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » Orthorrhapha » Asiloidea » Robber Flies (Asilidae) » Asilinae » Giant Robber Flies (Promachus)

Genus Promachus - Giant Robber Flies

Classification · Other Common Names · Pronunciation · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Life Cycle · See Also · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited
Promachus hinei kill - Promachus hinei - female Promachus hinei? - Promachus hinei - male Anybody know what this is? - Promachus rufipes robber - Promachus hinei Please Identify this insect. - Promachus rufipes Fly on rock - Promachus - male Horse/Robberfly? - Promachus Horse Fly or Not - Promachus hinei
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Diptera (Flies)
No Taxon (Orthorrhapha)
Superfamily Asiloidea
Family Asilidae (Robber Flies)
Subfamily Asilinae
Genus Promachus (Giant Robber Flies)
Other Common Names
Bee Killer
Pronunciation
prom'-uh-kus
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Promachus Loew 1848
Explanation of Names
Greek promachos (προμαχος) 'defender, champion' (from pro 'before' + machesthai 'fight')(1)
Numbers
21 spp. in our area(2), 12 spp. in e. US(3)
Size
20-35 mm
Identification
Large robber flies with tiger-stripe pattern on abdomen
Key to e.US spp. in(3)
Range
e. US (to KS & AZ) to Argentina(3)
Habitat
Meadows, fields
Season
Summer, typically June-Aug in north. July-Sep (several spp. in GA)
Food
Adults predatory, often on Hymenoptera
Life Cycle
Eggs are typically laid on ground near grass roots. Larvae burrow into soil, feed on soil insects, roots, and decaying matter. Pupation is in an unlined cell in the soil.
See Also
Proctacanthus
Print References
Hine J.S. (1911) Robberflies of the genera Promachus and Proctacanthus. Ann. Ent. Soc. Amer. 4(2): 153-172
Internet References
discussion, photos by Herschel Raney
Works Cited
1.The Century Dictionary: an encyclopedic lexicon of the English language
2.American Insects: A Handbook of the Insects of America North of Mexico
By Ross H. Arnett
3.The genus Diogmites (Robber Flies) in eastern United States (Diptera: Asilidae)
By J.N. Artigas
Contributed by Cotinis on 26 March, 2004 - 10:43pm
Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset, v belov
Last updated 28 November, 2010 - 2:19pm

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