Painted Bee Fly vs Big-headed Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Painted Bee Fly Big-headed Fly
Scientific Name Hemipenthes morio Pipunculus campestris
Order Diptera Diptera
Family Bombyliidae Pipunculidae
Size 7-12 mm 3-6 mm
Habitat Deserts & Drylands Farmland
Diet Parasitoids Herbivores
Regions Europe, Asia, North Africa Europe, Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Painted Bee Fly

A dark-bodied bee fly with characteristic half-blackened wings that give it a distinctive silhouette. It is commonly seen sunbathing on bare patches of ground in warm habitats.

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Did You Know?

It is a hyperparasitoid, meaning its larvae parasitize the parasites of other insects.

Big-headed Fly

A small fly with an enormously enlarged, almost entirely eye-covered spherical head. It hovers in vegetation searching for leafhopper hosts in which to parasitize.

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Did You Know?

Its enormous eyes give it near-360-degree vision, allowing it to spot leafhoppers from any angle while hovering.