Cold-water Glacier Midge vs Conops Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Cold-water Glacier Midge Conops Fly
Scientific Name Diamesa cinerella Conops flavipes
Order Diptera Diptera
Family Chironomidae Conopidae
Size 3-4 mm body length 8-12mm
Habitat Rivers & Streams Underground
Diet Detritivores Parasitoids
Regions Europe, Alps, Scandinavia Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Cold-water Glacier Midge

A cold-adapted midge found in high-altitude streams fed by snowmelt. Its larvae are among the first colonizers of newly formed glacial streams.

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Did You Know?

Adults can emerge and fly at temperatures just above freezing.

Conops Fly

A wasp-mimicking fly with yellow legs and a narrow waist. Females parasitize adult bumblebees.

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Did You Know?

Chases bumblebees in flight and forcefully deposits an egg inside the bee's abdomen during a brief mid-air grapple.