Cloudless Sulphur vs Tundra Robber Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Cloudless Sulphur Tundra Robber Fly
Scientific Name Phoebis sennae Rhadiurgus variabilis
Order Lepidoptera Diptera
Family Pieridae Asilidae
Size 54-80 mm wingspan 10-15 mm
Habitat Beaches & Coastal Beaches & Coastal
Diet Nectar Feeders Herbivores
Regions North America, Central America, South America Scandinavia, Finland, Scotland, northern Russia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Cloudless Sulphur

Large unmarked lemon-yellow butterfly; females may have faint spots. Common and conspicuous across the southern United States.

💡

Did You Know?

Large fall migrations of thousands can be seen streaming southward along the Atlantic coast.

Tundra Robber Fly

A medium-sized robber fly with a dark body and distinctive bristly face. It is an aerial predator that ambushes other flying insects from perches on rocks and low vegetation. Adults have powerful grasping legs.

💡

Did You Know?

This robber fly catches prey in midair and injects digestive enzymes to liquefy the insect's insides before drinking them.