Hessian Fly vs Glacier Beetle
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Hessian Fly | Glacier Beetle |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Mayetiola destructor | Nebria castanea |
| Order | Diptera | Coleoptera |
| Family | Cecidomyiidae | Carabidae |
| Size | 2-4 mm | 9-13 mm |
| Habitat | Farmland | Farmland |
| Diet | Gall Makers | Omnivores |
| Regions | Cosmopolitan - originally Eurasia, now worldwide | Alps, Central Europe |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Hessian Fly
A tiny dark gall midge that is one of the most destructive pests of wheat and barley worldwide. Adults resemble small dark mosquitoes and live for only a few days.
Did You Know?
Named after Hessian soldiers in the American Revolution who supposedly brought it to North America in straw bedding.
Glacier Beetle
A chestnut-brown ground beetle inhabiting the edges of glaciers and permanent snowfields. It feeds on wind-blown insects deposited on ice surfaces.
Did You Know?
It is one of the few beetles that actively forages on glacier ice surfaces.