Iris Sawfly vs Australian March Fly
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Iris Sawfly | Australian March Fly |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Rhadinoceraea micans | Bibio imitator |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Diptera |
| Family | Tenthredinidae | Bibionidae |
| Size | 6-8 mm | 6-10 mm |
| Habitat | Ponds & Lakes | Woodlands |
| Diet | Herbivores | Herbivores |
| Regions | Europe | Australia |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Iris Sawfly
A small, metallic blue-black sawfly whose grayish larvae with dark heads feed along the edges of iris leaves, producing distinctive notching damage.
Did You Know?
Larvae feed along leaf edges in a perfectly straight line, creating neat rectangular notches that are diagnostic for this species.
Australian March Fly
A robust black bibionid fly that appears in large numbers during the Australian autumn. It has a hairy body and is a sluggish flyer, often seen resting on vegetation.
Did You Know?
Despite sharing the common name with horse flies in Australia, march flies in the family Bibionidae are completely harmless.