Asilidae, or robber flies, are formidable predators among the Diptera. Their robust appearance, rapid flight, and perched ambush stance make them efficient hunters. They are easily recognized by the dense “beard” of bristles below their eyes (mystax), which protects them from struggling prey. They intercept other insects mid-flight and kill them using a pointed proboscis that injects neurotoxic saliva. Robber flies inhabit open, sunny habitats such as dry grasslands, wastelands, dunes, and forest clearings. Observing them is always a thrilling moment for nature photographers.