Ozark Stiletto Fly vs Mole-nest Rove Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Ozark Stiletto Fly Mole-nest Rove Beetle
Scientific Name Thereva frontalis Quedius mesomelinus
Order Diptera Coleoptera
Family Therevidae Staphylinidae
Size 8-11 mm 6-9 mm
Habitat Woodlands Tundra & Arctic
Diet Predators Predators
Regions North America Europe, Western Asia, introduced to North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Ozark Stiletto Fly

A medium-sized stiletto fly with a grayish body covered in fine pale hairs and clear wings. It is commonly found resting on sunlit surfaces in open woodlands.

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Did You Know?

The larvae have a unique ability to move rapidly through loose sand using undulating body movements.

Mole-nest Rove Beetle

A medium-sized, dark rove beetle commonly found in caves, cellars, and the nests of burrowing mammals. It is one of the most troglophilic rove beetles in the Palearctic region.

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Did You Know?

This beetle is one of the most commonly recorded beetle species in European caves, thriving in the perpetual darkness.