Apple Maggot Fly vs Indian Sand Fly
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Apple Maggot Fly | Indian Sand Fly |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Rhagoletis pomonella | Phlebotomus argentipes |
| Order | Diptera | Diptera |
| Family | Tephritidae | Psychodidae |
| Size | 4-6 mm | 2-3 mm |
| Habitat | Orchards | Underground |
| Diet | Fruit Feeders | Blood Feeders |
| Regions | Eastern North America | South Asia (India, Bangladesh, Nepal, particularly the Gangetic Plain) |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Apple Maggot Fly
A fruit fly pest whose larvae tunnel through apple flesh causing brown trails. It is a textbook example of sympatric speciation by host plant shifting.
Did You Know?
It shifted from native hawthorn to introduced apple trees in under 200 years, creating genetically distinct races.
Indian Sand Fly
A tiny, hairy fly with a distinctive humpbacked appearance and large, upturned wings held erect at rest. It is the primary vector of visceral leishmaniasis (kala-azar) in the Indian subcontinent.
Did You Know?
Indoor residual spraying with DDT once nearly eliminated kala-azar from India, but the disease resurged after spraying campaigns ended.