Alpine Snow Fly vs Wohlfahrt's Wound Fly
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Alpine Snow Fly | Wohlfahrt's Wound Fly |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Chionea lutescens | Wohlfahrtia magnifica |
| Order | Diptera | Diptera |
| Family | Limoniidae | Sarcophagidae |
| Size | 3-5 mm body length | 9-15 mm |
| Habitat | Mountains | Deserts & Drylands |
| Diet | Scavengers | Blood Feeders |
| Regions | Alps, Central Europe | Southern Europe, Middle East, Central Asia, North Africa |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Alpine Snow Fly
A yellowish wingless crane fly found on snow in alpine regions. It breeds in soil beneath the snowpack where larvae feed on decaying matter.
Did You Know?
Adults emerge in midwinter and mate directly on the snow surface.
Wohlfahrt's Wound Fly
A large, gray flesh fly with dark spots on the abdomen that is an obligate parasite of warm-blooded animals in the Old World. Females larviposit directly into body openings (ears, nose, eyes) or wounds of sleeping humans and animals. It is a significant cause of human myiasis in Central Asia and the Middle East.
Did You Know?
It preferentially targets sleeping people, depositing larvae into the ears, nose, or eyes, causing severe tissue destruction.