Long-legged Fly vs Arctic Mosquito
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Long-legged Fly | Arctic Mosquito |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Dolichopus ungulatus | Aedes nigripes |
| Order | Diptera | Diptera |
| Family | Dolichopodidae | Culicidae |
| Size | 5-7 mm | 5-8 mm |
| Habitat | Rivers & Streams | Tundra & Arctic |
| Diet | Herbivores | Blood Feeders |
| Regions | Europe, Asia | Arctic Canada, Alaska, Greenland, northern Scandinavia, Siberia |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Long-legged Fly
A small, slender fly with a brilliant metallic green body and long, thin legs. Males have modified leg structures used in elaborate courtship displays performed on leaves.
Did You Know?
Male long-legged flies perform an elaborate wing-waving courtship dance on sunlit leaves, displaying silvery wing patches to watching females like tiny semaphore signals.
Arctic Mosquito
A large, dark-bodied mosquito common across the Arctic tundra. Females emerge in enormous swarms after snowmelt to blood-feed on caribou and other mammals. Adults have dark scales and pale-banded legs.
Did You Know?
Arctic mosquito swarms can be so dense they have been documented driving caribou to stampede across the tundra.