Painted Skimmer vs Face Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Painted Skimmer Face Fly
Scientific Name Libellula semifasciata Musca autumnalis
Order Odonata Diptera
Family Libellulidae Muscidae
Size 40-47 mm 7-8 mm
Habitat Ponds & Lakes Farmland
Diet Omnivores Omnivores
Regions North America Europe, North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Painted Skimmer

An attractive dragonfly with amber-tinted wings marked by brown bands and spots. It is an early-season flier in eastern North America.

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Did You Know?

It is one of the earliest dragonflies to emerge in spring across the eastern United States.

Face Fly

A non-biting muscid fly that feeds on secretions around the eyes and nose of cattle. It is a mechanical vector of the cattle pinkeye pathogen Moraxella bovis.

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Did You Know?

It enters homes in large numbers each autumn to overwinter, hence the name autumnalis.