Slender Striped Robberfly

The Slender Striped Robberfly is a small, thin insect measuring 8 to 10 millimetres in length. It can be recognised by its pale greyish-brown body with three dark stripes running lengthways along the middle part of its body and a clearly banded rear section. Its legs are unusually long and thin, even for this type of fly, making it look a bit like a crane fly when resting on plants. It is found widely across England and Wales but is less common in Scotland. It prefers damp grasslands, marshy areas, and the edges of woods. Here, it hunts small flying insects by sitting on grass stems or low plants where it can watch for prey. You can usually see it from May to August. Its flight is weak and a bit unsteady compared to other, stronger robberflies. It often stays still for long periods while looking out for food.