The outside walls of the house have come up trumps again, with my third Robberfly (Asilidae) of the summer. This one was on the front of the house, and I managed to snaffle it in a pot and have a closer look.
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| Kite-tailed Robberfly Machimus atricapillus |
I believe that this is a female Kite-tailed Robberfly Machimus atricapillus. There are two very similar Machimus species with previous local records, but this one has a more strongly-marked and greyer abdomen, without the dark rings on the fore and mid tibia shown by M. cingulatus. As with others in the group, this species is predatory on many other species and flies and other insects. It is found in scrubby grassland and woodland edge habitats.
Fortunately this individual posed nicely on the side of the pot on release, allowing me to take some decent photographs.
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| Kite-tailed Robberfly Machimus atricapillus |
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| Kite-tailed Robberfly Machimus atricapillus |
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