motuca

Updated: June 13, 2025

I first noticed its habit of preying on this fly one day when we landed to make our fire and dine on the borders of the forest adjoining a sand-bank. The insect is as large as a hornet, and has a most waspish appearance. I was rather startled when one out of the flock which was hovering about us flew straight at my face it had espied a Motuca on my neck and was thus pouncing upon it.

Henry Walter Bates - The Naturalist on the River Amazons