7. Robber fly Sucking Dry its Prey Whilst a Ladybird Looks On

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This robber fly was spotted amongst the grass of the old orchard on the wing whilst carrying its prey and looking for a grass stem where it could secure itself whilst consuming its prey - also a fly. These are agressive flies which hunt on the wing. Their prey is other flies, sometimes the same size as themselves. They then pierce the carapace of the thorax with their sharp triangular mouth piece, rather like the sucking mouth part of a horse fly, and then suck out the insides of their prey. This robber fly eventually found a suitable grass stem and is nocholantly suspended from the seed head by one leg, it holds the prey with four legs and has one left over. A ladybird loafs above. The orange spot on the abdomen of the robber fly may be a parasite of the robber fly itself.