Narrow-winged Bee Fly vs Green Dragontail

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Narrow-winged Bee Fly Green Dragontail
Scientific Name Systoechus vulgaris Lamproptera meges
Order Diptera Lepidoptera
Family Bombyliidae Papilionidae
Size 7-10 mm 40-55 mm wingspan, tails up to 30 mm
Habitat Deserts & Drylands Rivers & Streams
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Europe, Asia, North Africa Southeast Asia (Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia)
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Narrow-winged Bee Fly

A small, hairy bee fly with a rounded body and a short proboscis compared to Bombylius species. It hovers at flowers in arid habitats, frequently visiting low-growing composites.

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Did You Know?

Its larvae are important natural enemies of grasshoppers, entering and consuming their egg pods in the soil.

Green Dragontail

A diminutive swallowtail butterfly with translucent green-tinted wings and extraordinarily long, slender tail streamers on the hindwings. It hovers like a hummingbird while feeding.

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Did You Know?

It is one of the smallest swallowtails in the world and its hovering flight, combined with translucent wings, makes it look like a tiny dragonfly.