Mosquito vs Alpine Snow Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Mosquito Alpine Snow Fly
Scientific Name Aedes aegypti Chionea lutescens
Order Diptera Diptera
Family Culicidae Limoniidae
Size 4-7 mm 3-5 mm body length
Habitat Woodlands Mountains
Diet Blood Feeders Scavengers
Regions Worldwide (tropical) Alps, Central Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Mosquito

A vector for dengue, yellow fever, Zika, and chikungunya. Only females bite, needing blood protein for egg development. Can detect human breath CO2 from 50 meters away.

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Did You Know?

Mosquitoes are the deadliest animals on Earth — they kill over 700,000 people annually through disease transmission, more than all other animals combined.

Alpine Snow Fly

A yellowish wingless crane fly found on snow in alpine regions. It breeds in soil beneath the snowpack where larvae feed on decaying matter.

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Did You Know?

Adults emerge in midwinter and mate directly on the snow surface.