Robber Fly

Description:

The Asilidae are the robber fly family, also called assassin flies. They are powerfully built, bristly flies with short, sharp, stout sucking mouthparts. The name "robber flies" reflects their notoriously aggressive predatory habits; they feed mainly on other insects and they largely wait in ambush and catch their prey in flight.

Habitat:

Driveway of a cottage on a man-made lake. Pyamtuning Lake, Andover OH, Ashtabula County, USA. Asilidae generally occur in habitats that are open, sunny and dry or even arid. They favour open or scattered vegetation, and some species even frequent bare ground.