Black Marauder..........

I'm not sure of the actual name of this particular flying machine, but for the sake of Blipfoto i'll call him the Black Marauder.
He's been a resident here at Villa Anastasia for as long as we've been here. He can be spotted on balustrades, roof tiles, fence posts in fact anywhere that has a good view of other passing insects.
He sits patiently until he spots another insect flying past, then he's off chasing his prey. Once caught his prey is pinned to a surface by the marauders legs and body, then the life is drained out of his victim through some sort of body piercing tube which you can see in the image.
I'm not certain but i'm assuming the prey insect may be injected with some sort of venom which causes paralysis, before the actual draining starts.

I don't imagine it's a very nice way to go..........

But here on this beautiful island there's an abundance of flying, stinging, biting, killing things, from the fragile Mosquito right up to the huge Honey Buzzards.

It's definitely a blessing to be at the top of the food chain.

Larger image.......

j.