Promachus yesonicus

Promachus yesonicus, or shioya-abu in Japanese, is a species of robber flies. In Japanese, "shioya" means a salt merchant, and "abu" means a horse-fly. This insect is called "shioya-abu" because the males have a white tip to their tail that resembles salt.

Distribution

Promachus yesonicus is found throughout Japan from Hokkaido to Okinawa. They are visible from June to September.

Male Promachus yesonicus have a white cotton-like bud at the end of their tails, while females do not. Adults can reach in length.