Heath Bee Fly vs Tsetse Fly (Forest)

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Heath Bee Fly Tsetse Fly (Forest)
Scientific Name Bombylius minor Glossina palpalis
Order Diptera Diptera
Family Bombyliidae Glossinidae
Size 7-10 mm 8-14 mm
Habitat Beaches & Coastal Rivers & Streams
Diet Nectar Feeders Blood Feeders
Regions Europe Africa
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Heath Bee Fly

A small, late-summer bee fly with greyish fur and clear wings. Its larvae parasitize solitary wasps in sandy habitats.

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Did You Know?

Unlike most bee flies that appear in spring, this species flies mainly in July and August.

Tsetse Fly (Forest)

A major vector of African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness). Unique among flies for giving live birth to a single large larva nourished internally with a milk-like substance.

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Did You Know?

The tsetse fly nourishes its single developing larva with a milk gland — this is the closest any insect comes to mammalian lactation and pregnancy.