Red Cotton Bug vs Myiasis-Causing Flesh Fly
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Red Cotton Bug | Myiasis-Causing Flesh Fly |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Dysdercus koenigii | Wohlfahrtia vigil |
| Order | Hemiptera | Diptera |
| Family | Pyrrhocoridae | Sarcophagidae |
| Size | 12-18 mm | 10-14 mm |
| Habitat | Farmland | Farmland |
| Diet | Fungus Feeders | Parasites |
| Regions | South Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka) | North America, especially northern United States and Canada |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Red Cotton Bug
A bright red and black true bug that stains cotton lint by piercing developing cotton bolls. Adults and nymphs aggregate in large numbers on cotton plants, and their feeding introduces fungi that further damage the crop.
Did You Know?
The red staining caused by this bug's feeding on cotton bolls reduces the market value of the cotton fiber by creating permanent yellow spots.
Myiasis-Causing Flesh Fly
A large flesh fly found in North America that causes obligate dermal myiasis in small animals including rabbits, mink, and fox kits on fur farms. Females deposit active larvae on the unbroken skin of young animals, and larvae burrow into subcutaneous tissue. Human cases are rare but documented in infants.
Did You Know?
It preferentially attacks the young of furbearing animals, causing significant losses on mink and fox fur farms in North America.