Russian Wheat Aphid vs Myiasis-Causing Flesh Fly
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Russian Wheat Aphid | Myiasis-Causing Flesh Fly |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Diuraphis noxia | Wohlfahrtia vigil |
| Order | Hemiptera | Diptera |
| Family | Aphididae | Sarcophagidae |
| Size | 1.5-2 mm | 10-14 mm |
| Habitat | Farmland | Farmland |
| Diet | Sap Feeders | Parasites |
| Regions | Worldwide cereal-growing regions | North America, especially northern United States and Canada |
| Conservation | Not Evaluated | Least Concern |
Russian Wheat Aphid
A pale elongated aphid that causes leaf rolling and white streaking on wheat and barley. It injects toxins while feeding that are uniquely damaging to cereal crops.
Did You Know?
It caused over $1 billion in damage to U.S. wheat crops within just a few years of its arrival in 1986.
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.