Taracticus

Very long antennae. First segment (flagellomere) more than twice as long as the next two antennal segments (scape and pedicel) combined. Similar in appearance to Dioctria, but Taracticus has a small, curved apical protibial spur on the median side, which Dioctria lacks.

Taracticus octopunctatus

Very long antennae. Orange legs. Tips of hind tibiae black. Male with abdomen tip and genitalia red. Sides of abdomen with silver spots. Occurs in mixed woods and brushy pastures. Alights on shrubs in sunny openings or margins of forest (Baker and Fischer, 1975).

Size: 8 mm

Range: Eastern and Midwestern U.S.

FL Range: Panhandle (Leon County)

FL Season: May

Male
Female
Female
Female
Photos by Katja Schulz (iNaturalist, CC BY), Vitaly Charny (iNaturalist, CC BY-NC), Rick Nirschl (iNaturalist, CC BY-NC, cropped), and Tom Murray (iNaturalist, CC BY-NC)

References:

Baker, N. T., & Fischer, R. L. (1975). A taxonomic and ecological study of the Asilidae of Michigan. The Great Lakes Entomologist, 8(2), 1.

Williston, S. W. (1884). On the North American Asilidae (Dasypogoninae, Laphrinae), with a new genus of Syrphidae. Transactions of the American Entomological Society and Proceedings of the Entomological Section of the Academy of Natural Sciences, 11(1), 1-35.

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