Pigeon Louse Fly vs Kaup Bess Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Pigeon Louse Fly Kaup Bess Beetle
Scientific Name Pseudolynchia canariensis Passalus interstitialis
Order Diptera Coleoptera
Family Hippoboscidae Passalidae
Size 5-7 mm 30-40 mm
Habitat Woodlands Woodlands
Diet Blood Feeders Wood Feeders
Regions Cosmopolitan - worldwide wherever pigeons occur Central America, Mexico
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Pigeon Louse Fly

A flattened, tough-bodied blood-sucking fly found on pigeons and doves worldwide. It has a leathery appearance, strong claws, and wings that allow it to move between bird hosts.

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Did You Know?

It is the primary vector of pigeon malaria, a Haemoproteus blood parasite that infects domestic and wild pigeons.

Kaup Bess Beetle

A large, elongate, shiny black bess beetle with prominent mandibles and longitudinal grooves on the elytra. It is the most common Passalid in Central America. Colonies of adults and larvae inhabit decaying logs.

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Did You Know?

Bess beetles are subsocial insects where parents and offspring live together and cooperate in maintaining their log galleries.