The stripe-legged robber fly (Dioctria hyalipennis) is a petite predator native to Europe and North Africa, now also established in North America following its introduction around 1916. True to its scientific name—derived from the Greek for “clear-winged”—it features glassy wings and a slender body, making it one of the smallest, least spiny, and most delicate members of the robber fly family. Rather than actively patrolling, it sits quietly on bushes, hedgerows, and tree trunks, waiting to ambush small targets like parasitic wasps, sweat bees, and tiny flies. Its slender build and delicate posture often give it the appearance of an ichneumon wasp. I encountered this charming little robber fly near a lake in Sweden’s Järfälla Nature Reserve. Due to its skittish nature, I only managed to snap a couple of photos before it took off into the foliage.