Adult spider fly. Image: Shaun Winterton
Dense hair and metallic colourations give a jewel-like appearance to the always-deathly spider fly.
Spider flies have large round bodies, elongated mouthparts and a fantastic green to blue colouration. But their jewel-like appearance is not the only thing that is worth mentioning: spiders such as the Sydney funnel web or the trapdoor are some of their favourite ‘meals’.
Adult spider fly (Panops Jade) preserved specimen. Image: Shaun Winterton
All species in Panops have larvae that parasite juvenile spiders. The maggot lives inside the spider for years, preventing its prey from developing into an adult. Eventually, the spider fly maggot will eat its ‘host’ and then pupate to develop into a gorgeous adult.
— Gabriela Munoz
