What Type of Camouflage Does the Robber Fly Have?

The robber fly has species all over the world, including nearly 1,000 in North America. Many robber flies have a slender body, large eyes and short antennae, which assist it in catching other insects to eat. But some species of robber flies also have natural camouflage to protect themselves from predators.

  1. Bee Mimics

    • The Laphria thoracica species of the robber fly, which is native to North America, has a fat body and the yellow and black coloration of a bumblebee to ward off attacks. Other families of robber fly use camouflage to disguise themselves as smaller bees, which allows them to lay their eggs inside the hives of bees. One difference between the fly and an actual bee is that a robber fly has just two wings, while a bumblebee has four.

    Wasp Mimics

    • The Asilidae family of robber flies mimic wasps. These robber flies take on the dark black and orange coloration of wasp and also have the narrow waist and large curved abdomen of a wasp, even ending in a sharp tip to mimic a stinger. The wasp-mimicking robber fly also has clear wings like the wasp. One key difference between the wasp and the robber fly is the antennae. The robber fly has short antennae, while the wasp has longer antennae.

    Damselfly Mimics

    • The Leptogaster family of robber fly has an extremely slender body which allows it to camouflage itself as a damselfly. The damselfly is a long-bodied insect, similar to a dragonfly, with large eyes and wings. Robber flies have some distinct features that make them distinguishable from true damselflies, though, most notably the proboscis. Damselflies and dragonflies have different mouth structures. Damselflies also fly silently as opposed to the buzzing robber fly.

    Purpose of camouflage

    • The purpose of a robber fly's camouflage is both to keep predators away and to keep its young alive. The robber fly's mimicry of the bumblebee, which because of its sting and size is more threatening to potential predators, is an example of Batesian mimicry, in which a harmless species takes on the appearance of a species with defenses. Robber flies lay their eggs with the other insects they mimic in order for their young to feed.