This robber fly is known as Prolepsis tristus and was photographed in Austin, Travis Co., Texas in September 2004 with a Canon EOS 1D Mark II and an EF 300 mm F/4L IS lens with a 2X extender and 550 EX flash. Herschel Raney has more excellent photos of this species on his Arkansas site here. This individual is a female. As Herschel comments, this robber is very wasp-like in appearance and actions.

The next 3 images show a black and white form of this same species. These 3 shots were taken in Austin, Travis Co., Texas, in August, 2009, with a Canon EOS 1D Mark III and an EF 300mm F/4 L IS lens and 2X extender and 580 flash.