Animalscaretips
- Why are robber flies called robber flies?
- How does mimicry help a robber fly survive?
- Do robber flies bite?
- Do robber flies eat honey bees?
- Do robber flies eat bees?
- What do robber fly do?
- Are robber flies pollinators?
- How does mimicry and camouflage benefit an organism?
- How did the color of the insect helps to protect itself from the Predator?
- How do insects camouflage themselves?
- Do robber flies migrate?
- Can a dragonfly bite?
- What do hanging thieves eat?
Why are robber flies called robber flies?
The name "robber flies" reflects their notoriously aggressive predatory habits; they feed mainly or exclusively on other insects and, as a rule, they wait in ambush and catch their prey in flight.
How does mimicry help a robber fly survive?
By mimicking a bumble bee, a robber fly is able to fool an unsuspecting bee that will make quite a tasty meal. Some insects take mimicry to extreme levels by resembling things so obscure they're likely missed by other organisms.
Do robber flies bite?
However, unlike bees and wasps, Robber Flies do not sting, and the "stinger" on this Robber Fly is actually a harmless ovipositor that she uses for laying eggs. ... Although they don't attack or bother humans, Robber Flies can bite quite painfully, so do not capture or pick up these flies with your bare hands.
Do robber flies eat honey bees?
Robber flies occur nearly everywhere, but more species are found in places that are open, warm, and sunny. They are only incidental predators on honey bees and nothing for a beekeeper to worry about.
Do robber flies eat bees?
Robber flies are flexible hunters. ... It appears that they eat anything that they can catch, for their prey species include flies, beetles, butterflies, moths, bees, wasps, ants, grasshoppers, crickets, lacewings, dragonflies, damselflies and mayflies.
What do robber fly do?
Robber fly insects are a mixed blessing to gardeners; if they're seriously perturbed, they can inflict a painful bite, but they also help rid the garden of harmful pests like grasshoppers, other flies, wasps, leafhoppers, white grubs and pupating beetles.
Are robber flies pollinators?
It can be tempting to vilify robber flies because they do eat our pollinators. However, overall, they are considered beneficial insects because they also eat other things besides just our pollinators.
How does mimicry and camouflage benefit an organism?
Mimicry and camouflage both help in concealment.
This may provide an added advantage to the organism in defending itself, or in attacking prey.
How did the color of the insect helps to protect itself from the Predator?
Aposematic coloration is a way for insects and other animals to warn predators away without making the ultimate sacrifice. ... Brightly colored insects are usually advertising their unappetizing taste, and sometimes their toxicity as a food for predators.
How do insects camouflage themselves?
Camouflage may be as simple as dark coloring but it can also be very elaborate. Some insects have stripes, spots, or other patterns that make them look like leaves, rocks, tree bark, and all sorts of other things. The better they blend in with their environment the less likely they are to become someone's dinner!
Do robber flies migrate?
Larvae are also predatory, feeding on eggs, larvae, or other soft-bodied insects. Robber flies overwinter as larvae and pupate in the soil. Pupae migrate to the soil surface and emerge as adults, often leaving behind their pupal casing (Figure 8).
Can a dragonfly bite?
Do Dragonflies Bite or Sting? No, although large dragonflies, if held in the hand, will sometimes try to bite they fail to break the skin. They have a lot of “folk names” which imply that they do, such as “Horse-stinger”, but they don't use their egg-laying tube (ovipositor) for stinging.
What do hanging thieves eat?
In general, robber flies are considered to be beneficial, as they eat many pest insects. A hanging-thief chows down on a freshly caught wasp . I was lucky enough to stumble upon a Hanging-thief (it looks like Diogmites salutans) as it was engrossed in eating a wasp.
