Male owl fly - Suhpalacsa subtrahens

Adults in this family are from medium to large size. They are usually yellow in colour with dark patterns. They have the long and clubbed pear-shaped antennae. When rest, their abdomen is extended above the stem that they are sitting on while their wings hanging downwards.

Owl-flies are good flier although they spend most of their time resting on stem. Adults are predator, hunting insects in flight. Some of them are active both day and night.

The larvae hunt prey with their large jaw on ground and low vegetations. They have flattened body which is ovoid in shape. Their head is large with large mandibles projected forwards for hunting small insects.