Cluster Fly vs Ring-Legged Earwig

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Cluster Fly Ring-Legged Earwig
Scientific Name Pollenia rudis Euborellia annulipes
Order Diptera Dermaptera
Family Calliphoridae Anisolabididae
Size 8-10 mm 10-15 mm
Habitat Gardens Gardens
Diet Parasites Herbivores
Regions Europe, North America Africa, Asia, North America, South America, Oceania
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Cluster Fly

A medium-sized, dark gray fly with golden-brown hairs on the thorax. In autumn, it gathers in large clusters inside buildings to hibernate, sometimes in the thousands.

💡

Did You Know?

The larvae of this fly are earthworm parasites, burrowing into the worm through its skin and consuming it alive from the inside over several weeks.

Ring-Legged Earwig

A wingless earwig identified by the pale bands on its dark legs. It is a cosmopolitan species often found in greenhouses and tropical gardens.

💡

Did You Know?

This earwig has been spread worldwide by human commerce and is now found on every inhabited continent.