Flat-footed Scuttle Fly vs Petroleum Fly
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Flat-footed Scuttle Fly | Petroleum Fly |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Metopina oligoneura | Helaeomyia petrolei |
| Order | Diptera | Diptera |
| Family | Phoridae | Ephydridae |
| Size | 1-2 mm | 5 mm |
| Habitat | Woodlands | Underground |
| Diet | Detritivores | Omnivores |
| Regions | Europe, Asia | North America |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Flat-footed Scuttle Fly
A minute brown phorid fly with broad flattened tarsi and reduced wing venation. It is associated with ant nests where it scavenges on refuse and dead ants.
Did You Know?
It lives inside ant colonies as a tolerated guest, feeding on the waste materials that ants discard in their refuse chambers.
Petroleum Fly
The only insect whose larvae develop in crude petroleum. Found in natural oil seeps in California, including the La Brea Tar Pits. Larvae eat insects trapped in the oil.
Did You Know?
This is the only animal on Earth that develops in crude oil — a substance toxic to virtually all other life. Its larvae swim through petroleum and breathe through snorkel-like tubes.