Blue Mountains Glowworm vs Dark Giant Horse Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Blue Mountains Glowworm Dark Giant Horse Fly
Scientific Name Arachnocampa richardsae Tabanus sudeticus
Order Diptera Diptera
Family Mycetophilidae Tabanidae
Size 3-5 mm 22-28 mm
Habitat Forests Farmland
Diet Fungus Feeders Blood Feeders
Regions Australia Northern Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Blue Mountains Glowworm

An Australian bioluminescent fungus gnat closely related to the New Zealand glowworm. Its larvae hang from cave ceilings and rainforest overhangs, emitting a blue-green glow.

💡

Did You Know?

Different Arachnocampa species emit slightly different colors of light, from blue-green to green-yellow.

Dark Giant Horse Fly

The largest horse fly in the British Isles, dark brown with a robust build. Females deliver an extremely painful bite to livestock and humans.

💡

Did You Know?

Its bite is considered the most painful of any European fly species.