#1556-1560 - Stiletto Flies
#1556 - Fam. Therevidae - Stiletto Fly
Photo by Cheryl Macaulay, here in Perth.
Probably an Ectinorhynchus but the Australian fauna is currently being revised.
#1557 - Agapophytus annamariae
Photo by Simon Lee, at Pinjarra SE of Perth. I’ve seen the same species myself but didn’t have a camera handy. I strongly suspect the yellow forelegs are meant to mimic the antennae of a Fabriogenia spider wasp, which has a rather painful sting if mishandled. This Therevid fly is otherwise defenceless.
#1558 - Agapophytus albobasalis
Photo by Tony Eales at Nudgee Waterhole near Brisbane, Queensland.
Another Stiletto Fly, and like the last one probably trying to mimic a wasp or maybe a Robber Fly with vivid banding.
#1559 - Agapophytus pallidicornis
Photo by Laurie Dryburgh at Wynnum, Brisbane. Yet another wasp-mimicking Therevid. It seems to be a feature of the genus - others are also pretty vivid. It does appear that the markings have a secondary purpose, though - the males in at least one species, will ‘lek’ - gathering on a sunlit log to wave their legs at each other and impress passing females.
#1560 - Agapophytus aterrimus
Photo by Tony Eales, in Freshwater NP north of Brisbane.
Yet another in the genus of wasp-mimicking Stiletto Flies, but this one is really going all-out.