Botanical Glossary - Home

When this huge fly buzzed past me to land nearby I thought that this was one of those huge, tropical insects that could sting like crazy. It wasn't until some time later I was able to search the insect books to realize that this is a Mydas Fly measuring over 1 inch in body length and a wingspan of over 2 inches. The adult eats caterpillars, other flies, bees, and true bugs. The Larva preys on other insects in the soil, especially June Beetle Larvae.

Large black fly with red/orange mark on top (dorsum) of 2nd abdominal segment. Body hairless, cylindrical. Eyes large. Antennae are distinctively clubbed in the Mydidae. This species flies rather boldly in the open. With the black-and-orange pattern, it resembles a wasp and fools the casual observer.