Common Moth Fly vs Giant Neotropical Carpenter Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Common Moth Fly Giant Neotropical Carpenter Bee
Scientific Name Psychoda alternata Xylocopa frontalis
Order Diptera Hymenoptera
Family Psychodidae Apidae
Size 2-4 mm 25-35 mm
Habitat Woodlands Woodlands
Diet Detritivores Wood Feeders
Regions Cosmopolitan Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Central America
Conservation Least Concern Not Evaluated

Common Moth Fly

A tiny grayish moth fly with broad, hairy wings giving it a distinctly moth-like appearance. Its wings are held flat over the body at rest, and it runs in short hops when disturbed.

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Did You Know?

Moth flies are important components of sewage treatment trickling filter beds where their larvae help break down waste.

Giant Neotropical Carpenter Bee

One of the largest bees in the Americas with a robust black body and yellowish thoracic hair. Females bore nesting tunnels into dead wood and timber.

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Did You Know?

It is the most effective natural pollinator of passion fruit, and crop yields decline significantly where it disappears.