Greenhead Horse Fly vs Northern Rat Flea

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Greenhead Horse Fly Northern Rat Flea
Scientific Name Tabanus nigrovittatus Nosopsyllus fasciatus
Order Diptera Siphonaptera
Family Tabanidae Ceratophyllidae
Size 12-15 mm 2-3 mm
Habitat Beaches & Coastal Woodlands
Diet Blood Feeders Blood Feeders
Regions Eastern North America Europe, North America, Asia
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.

Northern Rat Flea

A flea of the Norway rat found in temperate climates, capable of transmitting murine typhus. It has a distinctive pronotal comb of spines.

💡

Did You Know?

This flea thrives in the cool conditions of sewers and basements, making it a persistent pest in urban rat populations.