Blue Mountains Firefly vs Pied Hoverfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Blue Mountains Firefly Pied Hoverfly
Scientific Name Atyphella flammulans Scaeva pyrastri
Order Coleoptera Diptera
Family Lampyridae Syrphidae
Size 7-10 mm 12-16 mm
Habitat Forests Farmland
Diet Predators Predators
Regions Oceania, Australia Europe, Asia, North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Blue Mountains Firefly

An Australian firefly found in cool temperate rainforests, producing a steady greenish glow. It has a dark body and is most active on warm, humid nights after rain.

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Did You Know?

Firefly-watching tours in the Blue Mountains and Springbrook National Park have introduced Australians to their native luminous beetles.

Pied Hoverfly

A large, elegant hoverfly with white crescent-shaped markings on a dark abdomen. It is a strong migrant and beneficial aphid predator.

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Did You Know?

Its white crescent markings distinguish it from nearly all other European hoverflies at a glance.