Meet the tessellated dagger fly (Empis tessellata), a prominent member of the dagger fly family (Empididae). These fascinating insects are also delightfully known as “dance flies” due to the elaborate, undulating aerial swarms the males perform to catch the eyes of females. However, courtship comes with a price: a female will flatly refuse to mate unless the male presents a “nuptial gift”—usually a freshly caught dead insect. She feasts on this prey during copulation, gaining vital nutrients to fuel her egg production. Once the eggs are laid in moist soil, the larvae spend the winter acting as voracious underground predators. As adults, they are equally formidable, equipped with a long, rigid, needle-sharp proboscis designed to pierce the armor of other insects. Yet, they have a softer side too, frequently visiting blossoms to feed on sweet nectar. Widespread across Europe, this species is a true northern survivor. I had the pleasure of encountering this awesome fly on two separate occasions—first in Sweden and then across the border in Finland—during my long-distance bicycle tour in June 2026.