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Toxic Robber Fly
Toxic Robber Fly
General information
Universe Real Life
Classification Wyliea mydas
Species type Robber Fly
Homeworld Earth
Environment Deserts of the American Southwest
Intelligence Non-sapient
Biochemistry Carbon-based lifeform
Biological information
Reproduction Sexual; lays eggs
Average wingspan 2"
Locomotion Powered flight
Feeding behavior Carnivore
Lineage information
Related species Wyliea chrysauges
Cultural information
Alignment Neutral
Organization Swarms
Sociocultral characteristics
Scientific taxonomy
Planet Earth
Domain Eukaryota
Kingdom Animalia
Subkingdom Eumetazoa
Infrakingdom Bilateria
Superphylum Ecdysozoa
Phylum Arthropoda
Subphylum Hexapoda
Class Insecta
Subclass Pterygota
Infraclass Neoptera
Superorder Panorpida
Order Diptera
Suborder Brachycera
Infraorder Asilomorpha
Superfamily Asiloidea
Family Asilidae
Genus Wyliea
Species mydas
Other information
Status Least Concern

Toxic Robber Flies are a species of robber fly which uses visual mimicry to mimic the appearance of more lethal tarantula hawks, specifically pepsis formosa and pepsis thisbe. Like them, the Toxic Robber Fly has brilliantly orange wings, which is used as an aposematism (nature's "red flag" to other species along with the colors red and yellow). They feed by snatching other insects out of the air.

These flies have a short proboscis for injecting a toxic saliva into its prey, but it is incapable of stinging, unlike the species it mimics. Even so, to further disguise itself it will still make stinging motions with the genitalia at the tip of their abdomen as if it were a true stinger. This is enough to leave their predators, such as various birds and lizards in the area, cautious around them as the species they mimic top the list on sting intensity.

A close observer will notice that the flies have only two wings like other flies, unlike wasps which have four. The antennae of are also short while the wasp's are long.

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