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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » Orthorrhapha » Asiloidea » Robber Flies (Asilidae) » Asilinae » Proctacanthus » Proctacanthus rufus
Photo#801501
Insect eating bee - Proctacanthus rufus - male
Copyright © 2013 Backbayblogger

Insect eating bee - Proctacanthus rufus - Male
Virginia Beach Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Virginia, USA
July 4, 2013
Can anyone identify the insect eating the bee? Photo taken in marsh at the Back Bay NWR. Thought it might be a dragonfly, but I don't see any wings and dragonflies can't fold their wings. Some sort of damselfly perhaps? Unfortunately this is the only shot I have. I was busy photographing Moccasins (Agkistrodon piscivorus piscivorus) at the time and thought I was getting a quick pic of dragonfly's lunch - until I viewed the image later that day. Would like to post the photo on my website if we can get an ID. Many thanks!
Backbayblogger.
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Contributed by Backbayblogger on 9 July, 2013 - 9:10pm
Last updated 10 July, 2013 - 4:13pm

Prey:
Bombus impatiens worker
… John S. Ascher, 10 July, 2017 - 7:52pm login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from Robber Flies.
… Ken Wolgemuth, 10 July, 2013 - 4:13pm login or register to post comments

Proctacanthus
rufus, a male robber fly. And a fine shot for a one off.
… Herschel Raney, 10 July, 2013 - 6:55am login or register to post comments

 
Thank you. I was looking at s
Thank you. I was looking at some web images of robber flies and this sort of looked like a "Machimus sp. Salteadora" - although I'm not sure what that means. Is that possibly a species of robber fly that would be found in the marshes of southeastern Va?
Again, BugGuide and the folks on this site are amazing.
… Backbayblogger, 10 July, 2013 - 12:31pm login or register to post comments

 
Machimus
salteadora is an old name for Machimus antimachus which does occur in VA but is not this animal. See the true Machimus photos for that insect. These Proctacanthus are much larger robbers and prefer clear water and sandy habitats.
… Herschel Raney, 11 July, 2013 - 6:44am login or register to post comments

Moved for expert attention
Moved from ID Request.

It's a Robber Fly of some kind. The experts will be able to take the ID further.

Welcome to BugGuide!
… Ken Wolgemuth, 9 July, 2013 - 9:15pm login or register to post comments

 
Thank you for the ID. And I t
Thank you for the ID. And I thought it was a bearded dragonfly. (ha ha) BugGuide is amazing!
… Backbayblogger, 10 July, 2013 - 12:25pm login or register to post comments

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