Anchor Stink Bug vs Fever Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Anchor Stink Bug Fever Fly
Scientific Name Stiretrus anchorago Dilophus febrilis
Order Hemiptera Diptera
Family Pentatomidae Bibionidae
Size 8-11 mm 5-7 mm
Habitat Farmland Farmland
Diet Predators Nectar Feeders
Regions North America Europe, Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Anchor Stink Bug

A predatory stink bug that is one of North America's most colorful pentatomids, with highly variable patterns of red, blue, black, and white. It preys on beetle larvae, caterpillars, and other soft-bodied insects.

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Did You Know?

It comes in dozens of strikingly different color patterns, making specimens from the same population look like different species.

Fever Fly

A small, shiny black march fly with spiny front tibiae used for digging. It was once believed to cause fevers in humans, hence its common name, though it is completely harmless.

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Did You Know?

Its spiny front legs are used by females to dig into soil for egg-laying, an unusual adaptation among flies.