Cuban Clear-winged Moth vs Neavei Black Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Cuban Clear-winged Moth Neavei Black Fly
Scientific Name Carmenta bassiformis Simulium neavei
Order Lepidoptera Diptera
Family Sesiidae Simuliidae
Size 20-30 mm wingspan 2-3 mm
Habitat Underground Forests
Diet Herbivores Herbivores
Regions Cuba East Africa, including Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Cuban Clear-winged Moth

A wasp-mimicking moth found in Cuba with transparent wings. Its narrow body and buzzing flight closely resemble a small wasp.

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Did You Know?

Its near-perfect wasp mimicry deters birds and other visual predators.

Neavei Black Fly

A small black fly whose larvae uniquely attach to freshwater crabs rather than rocks or vegetation. It is a vector of river blindness in East Africa, particularly in forested areas. The association with crabs makes it vulnerable to control by removing the crab hosts.

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Did You Know?

Eliminating the freshwater crabs that carry its larvae successfully eradicated onchocerciasis from parts of East Africa.