Robber flies (Order Diptera, Family Asilidae) are extremely successful predators and have voratious appetites. They mostly prey on other insects and are capable of attacking and immobilising bees, wasps, dragonflies, grasshoppers and even spiders, however, they tend to be opportunistic feeders, feeding on whatever insects happen to be available in a particular habitat.
When on the hunt, robber flies establish a perching location, usually in a sunny open area, in order to locate suitable prey. Once located, robber flies catch their prey in mid air, using their strong legs to grasp and their modified mouthparts, in the form of a stabbing proboscis, to inject them with saliva containing neurotoxic and proteolytic enzymes. The neurotoxins paralyse the prey and the proteolytic enzymes digest proteins in the body tissues. The robber fly will then return to its perch and consume the liquidised body tissues of the prey.
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WOW this is totally awesome and deserved a higher score..... You are getting so good with these type of shot Greg..... great detail and very sharp..... I love it..... shez
congratulations on a brilliant macro photograph, a pb and an excellent score .. love the harsh lighting on the bug, all the gory details and how he's perched on the barbed wire ... also love the 'different' colouring you've given this image .. a difficult shot to get with that lens .. :):)xxooxx
The fact that it's sitting on a piece of barbed wire makes this not "another bug shot" and gives a lot of conceptual contrast (if such a term exists :)
good macro. the closeup of barbed? wire makes an unusual, disconcerting setting for this creature. You emphasize this with your composition, which puts the fly to one side and the barb to the other. Great detail on the fly and interesting light. This sort of skillful, competent work gets you a 6. To get higher, I need to be interested or involved in the photo in some way.
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