HomeGuideID RequestRecentFrassForumsDonateHelp

Clickable Guide

Calendar

Upcoming Events

Registration is open for the 2024 BugGuide gathering in Idaho July 24-27

Moth submissions from National Moth Week 2023

Photos of insects and people from the 2022 BugGuide gathering in New Mexico, July 20-24

Photos of insects and people from the Spring 2021 gathering in Louisiana, April 28-May 2

Photos of insects and people from the 2019 gathering in Louisiana, July 25-27

Photos of insects and people from the 2018 gathering in Virginia, July 27-29

Previous events

TaxonomyBrowse

Info

ImagesLinksBooksData

Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » 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? - Promachus hinei - male

Anybody know what this is? - Promachus rufipes - male

Promachus rufipes? & Dolichovespula maculata - Promachus rufipes - female

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

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)

Borror(2) translates promachus as "challenger"; and Wikipedia gives "who leads in battle", and lists several historical greek figures referred to by the name.

Numbers

22 spp. in our area, ~220 total(3)

Size

20-35 mm

Identification

Large robber flies with tiger-stripe pattern on abdomen

Range

worldwide, almost 3/4 of the spp. in the Old World tropics; in the New World, US to Chile (P. dimidiatus ranges into Canada), in our area mostly western (just 3 spp. occur in the Atlantic states)(3)

Habitat

Meadows, fields

Season

Jun-Aug in north; Jul-Sep in GA (several spp.)

Food

prey: insects, often 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

Genus page(4)

Works Cited

1.	The Century Dictionary: an encyclopedic lexicon of the English language

2.	Dictionary of Word Roots and Combining Forms Donald J. Borror. 1960. Mayfield Publishing Company.

3.	Information on robber flies, compiled by F. Geller-Grimm

4.	Herschel Raney's Random Natural Acts: Robber Flies

Contributed by Cotinis on 26 March, 2004 - 10:43pm
Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset, Aaron Schusteff, v belov
Last updated 21 July, 2016 - 12:01pm

Disclaimer: Dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service. We strive to provide accurate information, but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world. If you need expert professional advice, contact your local extension office.

Contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content.
Click the contributor's name for licensing and usage information.
Everything else copyright © 2003-2024 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by:

Printer Friendly Version