Robber Fly
(Efferia aestuans - - Male)
Robber flies are fantastic predators, most often attacking their prey in the air and over-powering
them through brute force. They seem to be fearless and routinely take on bees, wasps, and prey
larger than themselves. Look at that huge thorax and the flight muscles powering their wings. These
things are like dragonflies on steroids. Robber flies also employ chemical warfare in being able to
inject a powerful mixture of neurotoxins and enzymes via their piercing mouth parts. The really
cool thing about these insects is that they aren't a danger to humans. Amazing creatures.
How in the heck do I know this is a male? The end of the abdomen is the key differentiator; females
(see image below) have a more sword-like end for depositing eggs: