Northern Black Fly vs Peppered Moth of New Zealand

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute	Northern Black Fly	Peppered Moth of New Zealand
Scientific Name	Simulium venustum	Cleora scriptaria
Order	Diptera	Lepidoptera
Family	Simuliidae	Geometridae
Size	2-4 mm	30-40 mm wingspan
Habitat	Forests	Forests
Diet	Omnivores	Herbivores
Regions	North America	Oceania (New Zealand)
Conservation	Least Concern	Least Concern

Northern Black Fly

A common biting black fly of northern forests and boreal streams. Larvae form dense colonies on submerged rocks in cold flowing water.

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Did You Know?

Females can detect carbon dioxide exhaled by hosts from over 20 meters away.

Peppered Moth of New Zealand

An endemic New Zealand geometrid moth known as the kawakawa looper, whose caterpillars feed on kawakawa and other native plants. The caterpillars are expert twig mimics, holding themselves rigid at an angle from the branch. Adults have speckled grey wings.

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Did You Know?

The kawakawa looper caterpillar is such an effective twig mimic that it can be almost impossible to detect on a branch, even when you know it is there.