Black biting fly for ID

[Geoff F]

This story started last night when a friend was drawing his curtains and an agressive insect dropped out. It immediately attacked him but despite being wounded by a painful sting/bite he bravely fought back and eventually landed a fatal blow.

At least that's how the tale was told to me. Anyhow, he put the corpse into a jar and gave it to me today, for identification. I've down what I can to straighten it out and photograph. A bad day for photography as it hasn't stopped raining all day; but I've managed a couple of shots.

Not really sure where to start with this. Everything I can think of either looks wrong or doesn't bite. The body (head to tail) is 10mm and the abdomen is quite hard.

Any ideas?

[tigger]

I think this looks sort of "ant like". I thought someone would have come up with an ID for this. I just popped back to see if anyone had left a reply... but still nothing. Now I'm really intrigued!

[oxycera]

harmless (unless you're an arachnid) pompilid (spider-hunting wasp). Can't believe it attacked anyone!

[Geoff F]

I had looked through Spider Hunting Wasps along with Ichneumons and Horse flies but I'm afraid, once again, my reference material just doesn't list sufficient numbers.

Possibly the 'sting' was psychosematic. He thought he was being attacked and stung so he imagined the sting?

I will look into this in greater detail tomorrow - I hear a beer calling to me right now.

[naturegirl]

Good man!! Beer has been calling to me all evening too!!

I have to be up to check my light trap and beer helps this too, hic!

Naturegirl

[Geoff F]

Having some difficulty narrowing down the sub species but tentatively suggest Anoplius nigerrimus or Dipogon subintermedius. Both of them appear to be all black. Males tend to be smaller than females so I think this is as far as I can go.

[oxycera]

Could be your first suggestion, definitely not Dipogon

[Geoff F]

Thanks for that. I will label it as a possible ID.

Found it a bit difficult to find images of this subject, and most of them I was able to immediately discard as the colours were definitely incorrect.

The trouble with googling, I find, is that before I realise what is happening I am looking at an Australian or Canadian site, and have to start all over again.

[oxycera]

All I can say is that if I find an all black pompilid locally it usually turns out to be Anoplius nigerrimus