# Northeastern Plumetop

*Ommatius tibialis*

They possess a mustache-like cluster of bristles on their face called a mystax, which protects their eyes from the flailing legs of struggling prey.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Diptera › Asilidae › Ommatius
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** forest
- **Habitat:** Deciduous forest edges, sunlit clearings, and shrubby fields.
- **Diet:** Carnivorous; feeds on flying insects including flies, bees, wasps, and small beetles.
- **Range:** Eastern United States, Southeastern Canada
- **Size:** 11 to 16 mm in length.
- **Lifespan:** Approximately 1 year (primarily spent as underground larvae; adults live for a few weeks).
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Widespread pesticide application and habitat loss due to urbanization.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless to humans unless handled directly. If grabbed or trapped against skin, they can deliver a painful bite using their predatory proboscis. Maintain a safe distance of 1-2 feet to observe their hunting behavior. If bitten, wash the area thoroughly with soap and water, apply an ice pack to reduce swelling, and seek medical attention if signs of an allergic reaction develop.

## About

Ommatius tibialis is a species of robber flies in the family Asilidae.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/96fc9aa2-0793-47c5-94df-878f15da7837
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/61604
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ommatius tibialis
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/222968378/medium.jpg (Bill Keim, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.