Black Sedge vs Bee-fly Strepsipteran

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Black Sedge Bee-fly Strepsipteran
Scientific Name Silo nigricornis Stylops ater
Order Trichoptera Strepsiptera
Family Goeridae Stylopidae
Size 7-9 mm body 2.0-3.5 mm (males)
Habitat Rivers & Streams Rivers & Streams
Diet Omnivores Parasites
Regions Europe Europe
Conservation Least Concern Not Evaluated

Black Sedge

A caddisfly whose larvae build heavy cases from sand grains cemented with silk. Found in clean, stony streams. Cases have lateral flanges of larger stones for ballast.

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Did You Know?

Larval cases have added flanges of larger stones that act as ballast, preventing the case from being swept away.

Bee-fly Strepsipteran

A dark-bodied strepsipteran that parasitizes Andrena mining bees in Europe. The triungulins actively seek out host bee larvae in nest cells.

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Did You Know?

Tiny first-instar larvae ride on flowers and grab onto visiting bees for transport back to the bee's nest.