{"id":9506,"date":"2026-08-08T09:35:09","date_gmt":"2026-08-08T09:35:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pawel.stefanoff.pl\/bugs\/?p=9506"},"modified":"2026-08-16T15:34:46","modified_gmt":"2026-08-16T15:34:46","slug":"2026-08-the-kite-tailed-robberfly-in-sweden-en","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pawel.stefanoff.pl\/bugs\/posts\/2026-08-the-kite-tailed-robberfly-in-sweden-en\/","title":{"rendered":"Aerial assassin: Photographing the kite-tailed robberfly in Sweden"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The kite-tailed robberfly (<em>Tolmerus atricapillus<\/em>) is a robust aerial predator (14\u201320 mm) common along woodland edges and scrubby grasslands from May to October. Named for the distinct, kite-tail-shaped projection on the male\u2019s final abdominal segment, this species is built for hunting. Its dense facial bristles (mystax) protect its compound eyes from struggling prey, while strong, spiny legs lock onto victims mid-air. Once he captures his victim, the robberfly uses a sharp proboscis to inject paralyzing and digestive saliva, liquefying the prey&#8217;s insides before consuming them. Employing a &#8220;perch-and-pounce&#8221; strategy, these flies dart from low vegetation to ambush flies, beetles, and wasps. I observed this male in a lakeside forest in J\u00e4rf\u00e4lla, Sweden. I caught a glimpse of his successful hunt firsthand: he launched from his perch on a leaf, vanished for a few seconds, and returned to a neighboring spot with his fresh catch in tow, allowing me to capture a series of detailed photos.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The kite-tailed robberfly (Tolmerus atricapillus) is a robust aerial predator (14\u201320 mm) common along woodland edges and scrubby grasslands from 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