Australian Hoverfly vs Saltmarsh Mosquito

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Australian Hoverfly Saltmarsh Mosquito
Scientific Name Simosyrphus grandicornis Aedes sollicitans
Order Diptera Diptera
Family Syrphidae Culicidae
Size 8-11 mm 5-7 mm
Habitat Farmland Beaches & Coastal
Diet Predators Blood Feeders
Regions Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia Atlantic and Gulf coasts of North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Australian Hoverfly

A common Australian hoverfly with orange-yellow markings on a dark abdomen. It is an important pollinator and aphid predator in Australian agriculture.

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Did You Know?

It is the most commonly encountered hoverfly species across mainland Australia.

Saltmarsh Mosquito

A golden-brown mosquito that breeds in enormous numbers in coastal salt marshes. It is a strong flier capable of traveling over 60 km from breeding sites.

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Did You Know?

Swarms can be so dense near salt marshes that they have driven livestock to exhaustion.