A large, powerful predatory fly which darts out and grabs insect prey on the wing.
Family Asilidae: many genera
Example sentencesExamples
The nerve toxins immobilize the hapless insect, while the digestive enzymes turn its innards to mush, which the robber fly consumes.
Grasshoppers here and in other grasslands are readily eaten by both vertebrate and arthropod predators (including robber flies and especially spiders).
Definition of robber fly in US English:
robber fly
nounˈräbər flī
A large, powerful predatory fly which darts out and grabs insect prey on the wing.
Family Asilidae: many genera
Example sentencesExamples
The nerve toxins immobilize the hapless insect, while the digestive enzymes turn its innards to mush, which the robber fly consumes.
Grasshoppers here and in other grasslands are readily eaten by both vertebrate and arthropod predators (including robber flies and especially spiders).