photograogh by Greg Morgan

Owl flies  - Cape Ascalaphid (Proctarrelabis capensis) Wingspan is 55mm, the antenae is clubbed at the ends, banded black and grey. Adults hawk flying insects at dusk.

photograogh by Greg Morgan

The larvae have massive jaws which can open 180 degrees to capture its prey.

photograogh by Greg Morgan                                                            photograogh by Greg Morgan

Clegs (Haematopota) Frequently bite humans, live in damp habitats and feed on other insects. They have
iridescence on the eyes.

photograogh by Greg Morgan                                                           photograogh by Greg Morgan

Bee Fly (Australoechus hirtus)  Makes a loud humming noise in flight. Settles on sand.

photograogh by Greg Morgan                                           photograogh by Greg Morgan

Biting midge (Ceratopogonidae)                   Marsh Fly (Sciomyzidae sepedon) wing span 12mm,
Body length about 3mm.                                 larvae attack aquatic snails, useful biological control agent.

photograogh by Greg Morgan                                                           photograogh by Greg Morgan

Natal Fruit Fly (Ceratitis [Pterandrus] rosa)                Hover fly (Allograpta fuscotibialis) visits daisies.
Wing span 8mm with green iridescence on eyes,
patterns on wings.

photograogh by Greg Morgan

Stable Fly (Stomoxys calcitrans) A                     Hover fly (Allograpta fuscotibialis) visits daisies.
bloodsucker of animals.

photograogh by Greg Morgan                                                                        photograogh by Greg Morgan

Wasp Robber Fly (Neolophonotus) Medium sized wingspan 15 - 17mm. Catch and subdue their prey in flight,
often wasps, honey bees, grasshoppers.

Gaint Cranefly (Tipula jocosa) Large wingspan 65mm.
Adults do not feed. Larvae feed on roots of plants.

Kelp Fly (Fucellia capensis) About 10mm long grey in colour.

Robber fly (Alcimus tristrigatus) It mimics its major prey item, the short horned grasshopper. Rests on the ground. Adults are voracious predators of bees wasps and grasshoppers caught in flight. Some larvae feed on locust egg pods.

Small headed fly Nectar feeding adults are recognised by yellow legs striped black and white abdomen. It has a humped and grey hairy thorax. The larvae are internal parasites of spiders. They seek out a spider and burrow into it.

Spider Cranefly  (Nephrotoma) Shiny black and yellow body with very long legs. The adults do not feed, the larvae live in water, moist soil and lawns feeding on plant roots.

Drone fly  (Microdon testaceus) a bee mimic, medium sized, larvae live and scavenge in ant nests.

Wasp Robber fly  (Pegesimallus pulchriventries) makes characteristic abdominal contractions just after alighting. Preys on craneflys and bees.

Drone fly  (Eristalis taeniops) a bee mimic. Its larvae are the well known rat-tailed maggots which live in stagnent water bodies with decaying organic matter. Adults feed on flowers of the carrot family.

Hippo fly  (Tabanus biguttatus) a large wingspan up to 50 mm. This specimen is small and half the adult size. Adults attack large mammals such as hippos as blood suckers. Their larva feed on insect larva and tadpoles in mud pans.

Banded Blowfly (Chrysomya albiceps) very common in summer.

House Fly (Musca domestica) identified by the black stripes on the thorax. Common around human habitation.