robber fly

noun

1. any of numerous swift-flying, often large, dipterous insects of the family Asilidae that are predaceous on other insects.

robber fly

noun

1. Also called: bee killer.  assassin fly. any of the predatory dipterous flies constituting the family Asilidae , which have a strong bristly body with piercing mouthparts and which prey on other insects

Word History and Origins

Origin of robber fly¹

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

Many insects perform a service to the environment — including ladybugs, honeybees and other pollinators — and predator bugs, such as robber flies, eat other bugs.

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The action heroes of the animal world, they tend to be flashy and attention-getting, whether they’re large like cheetahs or tiny like robber flies.

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For example, we have a robber fly caught in 1680 by the queen’s gardener at Hampton Court Palace, near London.

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Those authors also saw turtles eating caterpillars and robber flies.

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Now, instead of hatching a butterfly, out comes this robber fly, a long, lean, sleek-looking fellow that has been living for weeks on the body of that poor caterpillar, and we didn't know it.

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