Guedin's Hawk Moth vs Parasitic Bee Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Guedin's Hawk Moth Parasitic Bee Fly
Scientific Name Macroglossum gyrans Winthemia rufopicta
Order Lepidoptera Diptera
Family Sphingidae Tachinidae
Size 35-45 mm 6-9 mm
Habitat Heathland Farmland
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions India, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia North America, Europe, Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Guedin's Hawk Moth

A small day-flying hawk moth with olive-brown forewings and orange-yellow hindwings. It hovers at flowers like a hummingbird and is widespread across tropical Asia.

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Did You Know?

Macroglossum gyrans can beat its wings over 70 times per second while hovering, producing the characteristic humming sound that gives its genus its name.

Parasitic Bee Fly

A medium-sized tachinid fly that parasitizes armyworm caterpillars and other crop pest larvae. It is found across multiple continents.

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Did You Know?

Females deposit multiple larvae on a single caterpillar but only one typically survives to maturity.