# What kind of fly is this?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-fly-is-this/697109>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 1, 2014, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-fly-is-this/697109 "2014-09-01T04:14:44Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![cwthree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de0a6/32.png) [@cwthree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cwthree)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-fly-is-this/697109/1 "2014-09-01T04:14:44Z")

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A friend of a friend took this picture of an insect and wonders what it is. I’m guessing some kind of fly, but beyond that, I got nothin’.

[![](http://i587.photobucket.com/albums/ss320/cwthree/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_107359610919552.jpeg) ](http://i587.photobucket.com/albums/ss320/cwthree/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_107359610919552.jpeg)

She says it was about an inch long and flew away, although I don’t see wings in the picture (perhaps it had just molted?). The picture was taken in late August somewhere in Illinois.

Can someone identify it? Thanks!

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**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:** [September 1, 2014, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-fly-is-this/697109/2 "2014-09-01T04:21:01Z")

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[Robber fly.](http://www.insects.org/entophiles/dipt_004.html)

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**Author:** ![cwthree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de0a6/32.png) [@cwthree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cwthree)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-fly-is-this/697109/3 "2014-09-01T16:25:46Z")

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Thanks, beowulff!