Greenhead Horse Fly vs Flesh Fly
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Greenhead Horse Fly | Flesh Fly |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Tabanus nigrovittatus | Sarcophaga carnaria |
| Order | Diptera | Diptera |
| Family | Tabanidae | Sarcophagidae |
| Size | 12-15 mm | 10-18 mm |
| Habitat | Beaches & Coastal | Woodlands |
| Diet | Blood Feeders | Carrion Feeders |
| Regions | Eastern North America | Europe, Asia, North America |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Greenhead Horse Fly
A coastal salt marsh horse fly with bright green eyes. It is the most abundant biting fly along the Atlantic coast of North America.
Did You Know?
Greenheads are so abundant in some coastal areas that they limit beach recreation in summer.
Flesh Fly
A large gray fly with three black longitudinal stripes on the thorax and a checkered abdomen. Unlike most flies, females give birth to live larvae rather than laying eggs.
Did You Know?
Flesh flies are larviparous, depositing live first-instar maggots directly onto food sources, giving their offspring a developmental head start over egg-laying competitors.