Hover Fly vs Pellucid Hawk Moth
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Hover Fly | Pellucid Hawk Moth |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Syrphus ribesii | Cephonodes hylas |
| Order | Diptera | Lepidoptera |
| Family | Syrphidae | Sphingidae |
| Size | 10-13 mm | 45-65 mm |
| Habitat | Underground | Farmland |
| Diet | Nectar Feeders | Nectar Feeders |
| Regions | Europe, Asia | South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Africa, Australia |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Hover Fly
A bright yellow and black banded hoverfly that is an excellent wasp mimic. It hovers motionless in sunbeams before darting to a new position with extraordinary agility.
Did You Know?
Hoverflies are the only insects besides hummingbirds and hawk-moths that can truly hover in one spot, fly backward, and fly sideways with precision.
Pellucid Hawk Moth
A strikingly beautiful day-flying hawk moth with entirely transparent wings and a bright green and yellow body. It hovers at flowers in tropical and subtropical regions of the Old World.
Did You Know?
Unlike most clearwing moths that lose scales gradually, Cephonodes hylas sheds nearly all its wing scales within seconds of emerging from the pupal case.