Q: I have found this small fly in my house and I want to know what it is. It was the only one I have seen but it is very unusual. What can you tell me about it?

A: At first glance it doesn’t look too unusual but the hind legs were dramatically different from other flies and wasps I have seen come across my desk. So, I turned to an insect identification expert from the University of Florida who believes it is a predatory wasp, Brachymeria podagrica (Fab.). Apparently, this wasp is a beneficial insect that is common throughout the world and feeds on filth-breeding flies such as the blow fly and the common housefly. One thing we should remember about predatory insects is they generally do not sting humans so there is little need to worry about potential contact with people or children. One other important note, we have thousands of predatory insects and they are essential in order to keep our pest insects in check.

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