For an hour or so, I had been birding near the corral, sitting in the bird blind. I hadn't had much luck and needed to stretch my legs. I walked over to the Hi-Fi Pasture and there along the road bordering the north fenceline I saw this Robber Fly on the dew-covered grass. This picture was taken with a 100-300 mm telephoto lens, from about as close as I could get to the insect and still be able to focus. Initially, I was not able to identify the genus and species of this Robber Fly. From what I've read, there are more than 7000 species known in the Asilidae family.

Nearly a couple of months later, while at a friend's party, I was introduced to a biologist named Andrew Clamann, who works for the City of Austin as an Environmental Scientist. He is very knowledgeable about insects, and upon seeing my photograph of the unknown Robber Fly, offered to forward it to a former teacher of his, Professor C. Riley Nelson, who is one of the leading authorities in Asilidae.

Professor Nelson quickly replied to Andrew's query. And here is the information that Andrew emailed me:

"My professor knew it right away as a member of the genus Proctacanthus. He said that he recognized it as one that he has been intending to study and describe, because it is likely an undescribed species which is very similar to P.longus. It would require considerable effort, and likely several years away, so for now, just call it Proctacanthus sp."

• Clamann, Andrew. Personal communication. November 10, 2009.