Parasitic Bee Fly vs Red Soldier Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Parasitic Bee Fly Red Soldier Beetle
Scientific Name Winthemia rufopicta Rhagonycha fulva
Order Diptera Coleoptera
Family Tachinidae Cantharidae
Size 6-9 mm 8-10 mm
Habitat Farmland Underground
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions North America, Europe, Asia Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

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.

Red Soldier Beetle

A very common soldier beetle in Europe with orange-red elytra tipped in black. It is one of the most familiar beetles on hogweed and other umbellifer flowers.

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Did You Know?

In the UK it is commonly known as the bloodsucker beetle, though it is completely harmless to humans.