# Help identify fuzzy wasp type insect **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 19, 2013, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identify-fuzzy-wasp-type-insect/661406 "2013-06-19T22:44:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kazo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@Kazo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kazo)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2013, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identify-fuzzy-wasp-type-insect/661406/1 "2013-06-19T22:44:41Z")
> **[ImageShack - Best place for all of your image hosting and image sharing needs](https://imageshack.com/)** > > Unlimited space to host images, easy to use image uploader, albums, photo hosting, sharing, dynamic image resizing on web and mobile. This guy was waiting for me on the passenger door frame of my car after my wife and I had breakfast at a taqueria. Not knowing if it was dangerous, I hate to say that I had to kill it, since my one year old son was with me and that was his door. But the insect was docile enough that I could snap this quick photo. ---
**Author:** ![Dickerman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8baadc/32.png) [@Dickerman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dickerman)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2013, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identify-fuzzy-wasp-type-insect/661406/2 "2013-06-19T23:21:26Z")
Looks like some sort of fly with its ovipositor hanging out. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2013, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identify-fuzzy-wasp-type-insect/661406/3 "2013-06-19T23:24:28Z")
Looks like some kind of Robber Fly. ETA: [Photo](http://www.visitingnature.com/promachusrufipes.htm). ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2013, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identify-fuzzy-wasp-type-insect/661406/4 "2013-06-19T23:55:28Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > Looks like some kind of Robber Fly. I concur, just to add another voice. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identify-fuzzy-wasp-type-insect/661406/5 "2013-06-20T01:13:45Z")
Robber flies have been known to bite as a defensive gesture, but they are not aggressive toward humans. Their chief prey are insects. ---
**Author:** ![Kazo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@Kazo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kazo)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identify-fuzzy-wasp-type-insect/661406/6 "2013-06-20T03:31:51Z")
Thanks folks! It looked cool, I feel bad because I killed it. Looked cool but couldn’t take the chance with my son. Areat least pretty common in these parts? Houston, TX. Can’t remember ever seeing anything like it before. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identify-fuzzy-wasp-type-insect/661406/7 "2013-06-20T13:40:37Z")
Robber flies were very common where I grew up, north of Santa Fe in New Mexico. Their legs are basket-shaped to facilitate swooping down on unsuspecting insects and carrying them away. In my youth of trapping bugs in jars, I once put a robber fly in a jar with two ants. The resulting battle was epic.