I found this unusual creature on our kitchen benchtop. We had been
given some fruit from a friend who has a lifestyle property just out of
town. We assume it came from there. What was peculiar was it was on its
back all the time, sometimes struggling and other times motionless
.
As
new Zealand is concerned about unwanted pests establishing themselves
here and harming the agricultural sector, the public is encouraged to
report insects that are unfamiliar in case it is a danger to the
economy.
I took a few snaps and sent them off to the MPI Entomology department and got a prompt reply:
This is a robber fly (Diptera: Asilidae). Robber flies are robust
predators of other insects. They have large claws which they use to
capture prey, diving onto the back of other insects in flight. They
bite their prey and suck out their innards. Also called assassin flies.
Eggs are laid in soil or on/in plants and larvae live in the soil or
rotten wood. About 20 species are known in New Zealand, some of which
are very rare.
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