Parasitic Bee Fly vs Tanypod Predatory Midge

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Parasitic Bee Fly Tanypod Predatory Midge
Scientific Name Winthemia rufopicta Tanypus punctipennis
Order Diptera Diptera
Family Tachinidae Chironomidae
Size 6-9 mm 4-7 mm
Habitat Farmland Ponds & Lakes
Diet Nectar Feeders Predators
Regions North America, Europe, Asia North America
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.

💡

Did You Know?

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

Tanypod Predatory Midge

A predatory midge whose larvae hunt other small invertebrates in soft sediments. Adults have distinctively spotted wings.

💡

Did You Know?

Unlike most chironomids, Tanypodinae larvae are active predators with retractable head capsules for striking at prey.