ROBBER FLY EMERGING? - Rhaphiomidas

I would like to be so lucky

to observe this kind of event.
I just saw an image of the Delhi Sands Flower-Loving Fly at California's Endangered Insects site of the Essig Museum (1). This prompted a check whether there was any representation of this genus at bugguide.
Now I'm happy to have spent the time surfing to this page and these amazing photos of another species!

… Hartmut Wisch, 13 October, 2006 - 11:25pm

Stunning

Perhaps the most impressive image I have ever seen submitted here.

And as far as I know no one has ever taken a picture of a wild robber fly emerging. That very dark proboscis ruled out a robber.

Eric Fisher states that the biology of these flies is almost completely unknown. And that this may be the commonest (all are rare) of the species out there which is R. acton. No species occurs east of western Texas.

… Herschel Raney, 25 June, 2006 - 10:50pm

Rhaphiomidas

Sorry, you are both wrong, but you found an amazing fly. It is an fly of the genus Rhaphiomidas, they were just moved from the family Apioceridae to the family Mydidae (they are close relative of Robber flies, but are no predators, just flower visitors).
There are severral species and one of them, the Dehli Sand fly is the one endangered fly in the US! They are rare and they need high quality sand habitats. Great fly great pictures!

… Martin Hauser, 25 June, 2006 - 10:39pm

Rhaphiomidas

I believe these are also called (or used to be called ) Flower Loving Flies, and they look a great deal like robbers.

In fairness, I think if he is read very carefully (I had to read him twice) Herschel is saying NO one has EVER photographed a wild robber fly emerging, and, the proboscis (on this photo) rules out robber fly.

… norman and cheryl lavers, 26 June, 2006 - 6:03pm

Oops

I see the comment I was responding to was actually aimed not at Herschel, but at husband and wife. I was the one who didn't read carefully. I pulled up hard on the post comment button, but it was too late.

… norman and cheryl lavers, 26 June, 2006 - 6:08pm

Many Thanks !

Wow ! Thank you everyone for your comments!

… 4LUVOFBUGS, 26 June, 2006 - 9:48pm