Description

• Blepharepium is a genus of robber flies in the family Asilidae. Species are generally slender to moderately robust flies with large eyes, a prominent piercing proboscis, and relatively long legs. Many species have distinctive patterns of dark and pale hairs or contrasting body markings, and some resemble bees or wasps. Like other robber flies, they are agile aerial predators that capture insects in flight.

Range

• Species of Blepharepium occur primarily in the Americas, with most diversity concentrated in tropical and subtropical regions of Central and South America. Several species occur in Mexico, and Blepharepium robber flies can be encountered in the Zihua area.

Habitat

• Usually found in warm, open or semi-open habitats, including tropical forest edges, woodland clearings, scrub, grassland, and areas of disturbed vegetation. Adults commonly perch on leaves, twigs, stems, and other elevated surfaces from which they make short flights to pursue passing insects.

Diet

• Adults are predatory and capture a variety of flying insects, including flies, beetles, bees, wasps, and other small arthropods. Prey is seized with the legs and pierced with the proboscis, through which saliva and digestive enzymes are introduced before the liquefied tissues are consumed.