Reindeer Warble Fly vs Frog-legged Leaf Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Reindeer Warble Fly Frog-legged Leaf Beetle
Scientific Name Hypoderma tarandi Sagra femorata
Order Diptera Coleoptera
Family Oestridae Chrysomelidae
Size 13-17 mm 18-30 mm
Habitat Heathland Forests
Diet Omnivores Omnivores
Regions Scandinavia, Finland, northern Russia, Siberia, Arctic Canada, Alaska South and Southeast Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Reindeer Warble Fly

A stout, furry fly that parasitizes reindeer and caribou. Females dart at reindeer to lay eggs on their legs. Larvae burrow through the skin and migrate through the body, creating warble lumps under the back skin.

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Did You Know?

The buzzing of this fly causes reindeer to panic and stampede, and heavy infestations can reduce a reindeer's body weight by up to 25 percent.

Frog-legged Leaf Beetle

A large, metallic beetle with spectacular iridescent coloring ranging from deep blue to green, red, and purple. Males possess enormously swollen hind femora used in combat.

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Did You Know?

The dramatic sexual dimorphism in leg size is one of the most extreme in beetles, with male hind legs being several times thicker than female legs.