Parasitic Bee Fly vs Long-legged Oil Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Parasitic Bee Fly Long-legged Oil Bee
Scientific Name Winthemia rufopicta Rediviva longimanus
Order Diptera Hymenoptera
Family Tachinidae Melittidae
Size 6-9 mm 12-15 mm
Habitat Farmland Heathland
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions North America, Europe, Asia South Africa
Conservation Least Concern Data Deficient

Parasitic Bee Fly

A medium-sized tachinid fly that parasitizes armyworm caterpillars and other crop pest larvae. It is found across multiple continents.

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Did You Know?

Females deposit multiple larvae on a single caterpillar but only one typically survives to maturity.

Long-legged Oil Bee

An extraordinary South African bee whose front legs are nearly twice its body length, the longest of any bee relative to body size. It uses these to collect oils from long-spurred flowers.

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Did You Know?

The coevolution between its leg length and Diascia spur length is one of the most famous examples of a pollination arms race.