What dragonfly (maybe) is this?
July 17, 2019 11:26 AM   Subscribe

Can you identify this dragonfly? Spotted just after dawn this morning. It was about 2 1/2 inches long. I'm in southern Arizona. The monsoons have just arrived and it's bug city down here - I'm seeing so many little dudes I can't recognize!
posted by DSime to Pets & Animals (2 answers total)
 
Best answer: That’s a large-ish robber fly, a true fly, order Diptera.

Like dragonflies, they are visual aerial predators that hunt on the wing. They sometimes steal someone else’s kill, hence the name.

Dragonflies always rest with four wings splayed to the side. Damselfies rest with all four wings tucked up/back. Robberflies, like all true flies have two wings, and two little stubby things called halteres that help them pull off acrobatic moves, at rest held back along the back like a housefly. Nice spot!
posted by SaltySalticid at 11:43 AM on July 17, 2019 [17 favorites]


Best answer: What SaltySalticid said. More information here.
posted by ALeaflikeStructure at 11:46 AM on July 17, 2019 [2 favorites]


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