Australian March Fly vs Spotted Asparagus Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Australian March Fly Spotted Asparagus Beetle
Scientific Name Bibio imitator Crioceris duodecimpunctata
Order Diptera Coleoptera
Family Bibionidae Chrysomelidae
Size 6-10 mm 6-7 mm
Habitat Woodlands Farmland
Diet Herbivores Herbivores
Regions Australia Europe, introduced to North America
Conservation Least Concern Not Evaluated

Australian March Fly

A robust black bibionid fly that appears in large numbers during the Australian autumn. It has a hairy body and is a sluggish flyer, often seen resting on vegetation.

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Did You Know?

Despite sharing the common name with horse flies in Australia, march flies in the family Bibionidae are completely harmless.

Spotted Asparagus Beetle

A reddish-orange beetle with twelve black spots on its elytra. It is a pest of asparagus, with larvae feeding inside the berries.

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Did You Know?

Unlike its relative the common asparagus beetle, its larvae feed inside the berries rather than on stems.