Greater Bee Fly vs Field Cockroach

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Greater Bee Fly Field Cockroach
Scientific Name Bombylius canescens Blattella vaga
Order Diptera Blattodea
Family Bombyliidae Ectobiidae
Size 10-14 mm 10-14 mm
Habitat Deserts & Drylands Deserts & Drylands
Diet Nectar Feeders Herbivores
Regions Southern Europe, North Africa, Western Asia Southwestern United States, Mexico
Conservation Least Concern Not Evaluated

Greater Bee Fly

A pale greyish bee fly with a long proboscis and clear wings. It parasitizes ground-nesting bees in arid Mediterranean habitats.

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Did You Know?

It can hover motionless in the air for extended periods while probing flowers with its rigid proboscis.

Field Cockroach

A small cockroach similar to the German cockroach but with a dark face. It lives outdoors in irrigated areas of the southwestern United States.

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Did You Know?

Its dark facial markings are the easiest way to distinguish it from the indoor-dwelling German cockroach.