Common Stiletto Fly vs Australian Lace Bug

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Common Stiletto Fly Australian Lace Bug
Scientific Name Thereva nobilitata Froggattia olivinia
Order Diptera Hemiptera
Family Therevidae Tingidae
Size 8-12 mm 3-5 mm
Habitat Heathland Woodlands
Diet Herbivores Herbivores
Regions Europe Australia, Oceania
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Common Stiletto Fly

A slender, densely hairy fly with a pointed abdomen and silvery-white body hairs. Adults bask on sunlit leaves and bare ground, making short rapid flights when approached.

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Did You Know?

Stiletto fly larvae are important biological control agents, feeding on root-eating pest larvae in sandy soils.

Australian Lace Bug

A small sap-sucking bug that infests eucalyptus trees, producing unsightly black sooty mould on leaves. It has intricately patterned lace-like wing extensions that give the family its common name.

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Did You Know?

Female lace bugs guard their eggs and young nymphs, a rare example of parental care in true bugs.