Western Brown Mantidfly

Eastern Washington

Western Brown Mantidfly

Western Brown Mantidfly
eating a woodland skipper

Western Brown Mantidfly on sunflower

Western Brown Mantidfly or Wasp fly

The western brown mantidfly resembles a Polistes wasp with the forelegs of a mantid. Adults prey on small insects and may be found around flowers where the hunting is good. The mantidfly lays eggs on vegetation and upon hatching, go hunting for anything to prey on. The larva will parasitize a wasp nest or spider egg sac if it can find it, settling down for awhile for easy living.

Climaciella brunnea ranges from Mexico to Washington east to Colorado and Nevada, and was formerly assigned to the genus Mantispa.

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