Bristly Tachinid vs Fruit Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Bristly Tachinid Fruit Fly
Scientific Name Epalpus signifer Drosophila melanogaster
Order Diptera Diptera
Family Tachinidae Drosophilidae
Size 6-10 mm 2-4 mm
Habitat Farmland Woodlands
Diet Parasites Fruit Feeders
Regions North America Worldwide
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Bristly Tachinid

A bristly gray parasitic fly found across North America. It parasitizes a wide range of caterpillars including armyworms and cutworms.

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Did You Know?

Females scatter tiny eggs on foliage, which are then accidentally swallowed by feeding caterpillars.

Fruit Fly

The most studied organism in genetics. Six Nobel Prizes have been awarded for research on this tiny fly. 75% of human disease genes have recognizable matches in its genome.

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Did You Know?

The fruit fly shares 60% of its DNA with humans and 75% of human disease genes have a match in the fruit fly genome — making it invaluable for medical research.