Assassin fly

Robberflies, also called assassin flies (Family Asilidae) are powerful predators and excellent fliers. They perch on low plants and objects, waiting to ambush their prey in mid-flight. A robberfly will stab its prey with its proboscis (tubular mouthparts), injecting it with neurotoxins which paralyze the prey and digests its bodily contents which the robberfly then sucks up again. They prey on other flying insects like bees, wasps, beetles, grasshoppers, dragonflies, moths, butterflies, other flies and some spiders.Robberflies have a bearded appearance with a dense tuft of bristles called a mystax (derived from Greek mystakos meaning "moustache" or "upper lip”). It has been suggested that the mystax protects their eyes and head during struggle with prey. Harmless to humans, but can give a painful stab with their proboscis if perturbed.

Photographed in Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa