mosquito-like insect killing my bees

[mo bee]

I have been having problems with a large (app. 1 inch long) insect killing my bees. It is red in color W/ green eyes. It seems to ambush them when they are away from the hive (getting nectar or water). Within 10 minutes I have killed around 15, and missed probably that many more. I was wondering if any others have had this experience, and could tell me what these critters are.

[The Honey House]

Dragonfly?

If yes, then there really isn't much you can do.
They have to eat too.

[FordGuy]

robber fly,orbeekiller. varied appearance, from mousy to brilliantly colored tolookingjust likea bee

[Sundance]

someone posted a nice pic of a robber fly with a bee in its grasp. try a search on robber fly

[Jim Young]

Following are images of robber flies found in Oklahoma:

http://www.biosurvey.ou.edu/okwild/misc/giantrobber.html
http://www.biosurvey.ou.edu/okwild/misc/rofly.html
http://www.biosurvey.ou.edu/okwild/misc/robfly.html
http://www.biosurvey.ou.edu/okwild/misc/asili.html
http://www.biosurvey.ou.edu/okwild/misc/asil.html
http://www.biosurvey.ou.edu/okwild/misc/tipulog.html

Jim

[Jon McFadden]

Thanks for the list of different Robber Flys, Jim.
I have always wondered what they were, but never enough to research them. The dragonflys are always a more serious threat. The robber flys never seem to appear in great numbers around the apiary. This is the one I see: Tipulogaster glabrata
I stand in the road in front of my apiary, look up and see hundreds of dragonflys hovering in the bee's flightpath.

[mo bee]

Thanks for the info it they are robber flies. This is the first year I have noticed them in this great of numbers. These things seem to all over the place. I am also having the problem with the dragonflies, and again thanks for the info.

[notaclue]

I've noticed a smaller thinner version of a YJ. It looks exactly like a YJ and after not getting through my robber screen went under the hive to my SBB. A few minutes later it was seen in a corner underneath and some of the girls lined up around the area inside. Is this a sports model of a YJ? I just hope it doesn't get inside. I have only seen one or two larger wasps or hornets since we got our lone hive and what were here left. Quick. David

[Michael Bush]

There is a more streamlined yellow and black paper wasp I have a lot of around here. Is that what you see?