Interception
Many insects don’t simply chase the current location of the target. Instead, they head for where the target will be in the future. A good example of this is the robber fly Holcocephala fusca. The question of how these little flies achieve this feat was the subject of my Ph.D. thesis.
Interception
Interception involves heading to the future meeting point with a target, rather than its current position. You can see just that in the animation to the right.
Aiming ahead of a target is called leading, and the amount a pursuer does this is called the lead angle.
Is there a simpler solution?
The problem for any would-be interceptor, is how much to lead to give the target. The exact value depends on the relative velocity and heading of the target. Relatively complex information an interceptor would need to be able to measure or approximate. Not something that makes rapid reactions feasible for a well streamlined insect brain.