Biting Midge (No-See-Um) vs False Stable Fly
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Biting Midge (No-See-Um) | False Stable Fly |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Culicoides imicola | Muscina stabulans |
| Order | Diptera | Diptera |
| Family | Ceratopogonidae | Muscidae |
| Size | 1-3 mm | 7-10 mm |
| Habitat | Underground | Farmland |
| Diet | Blood Feeders | Predators |
| Regions | Africa, Middle East, southern Europe, Asia | Europe, North America, Asia |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Biting Midge (No-See-Um)
A tiny biting midge that is the primary Old World vector of bluetongue virus and African horse sickness virus. It breeds in moist, organically enriched soil and is crepuscular, biting at dawn and dusk. Its northward spread into Europe has introduced bluetongue to previously unaffected areas.
Did You Know?
Climate change has allowed this midge to expand northward into Europe, bringing bluetongue disease to countries that had never experienced it.
False Stable Fly
A robust fly resembling a large house fly with reddish-yellow patches at the wing base. Larvae can be facultative predators of other fly larvae.
Did You Know?
Its predatory larvae sometimes consume house fly larvae, making it an accidental biocontrol agent.