It's been a fine season, so far, for mimicry, especially among the flies. But since I don't keep the kind of quantitative records that could lead to genuine scientific discoveries—shame on me—my impressions are no more than a naturalist's semi-informed notions. That said, it seems to me that I've seen a lot more of the Dipterans-that-wannabe-someone-else than is typical. This splendid faux-bumblebee is a perfect example, and one that will strike terror, assuming insects can feel terror, into the hearts of many invertebrates. This is not, of course, a member of the Hymenoptera but rather a stout and agile fly that belongs to the family Asilidae. Better known as Robber Flies, these often colorful critters are mimics—in this case, of normally gentle bumblebees—and when they succeed in giving a neighbor, be it a bumble or a beetle, a false sense of security, the sharp-eyed "robber" will pounce, stab the unwitting victim with its sharp proboscis, inject a lethal cocktail of neurotoxins and digestive enzymes, and then, after the prey's innards are turned into a protein milkshake, drink the victim dry, leaving only an indigestible husk. It's a chilling prospect, but fortunately for our species, there are no Asilid equivalents bent on sucking us dry. Well, at least no insects...