Sand Fly vs Giant Western Crane Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute	Sand Fly	Giant Western Crane Fly
Scientific Name	Phlebotomus papatasi	Holorusia hespera
Order	Diptera	Diptera
Family	Psychodidae	Tipulidae
Size	2-3 mm	35-45 mm body length
Habitat	Caves	Forests
Diet	Blood Feeders	Detritivores
Regions	Africa, Asia, Europe	Western North America
Conservation	Least Concern	Least Concern

Sand Fly

A tiny, hairy, yellowish fly with large dark eyes and wings held in a V-shape above the body. Females feed on blood and are the primary vectors of leishmaniasis in the Old World.

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Did You Know?

Sand flies are so small they can pass through standard mosquito netting, and they fly in short silent hops rather than sustained buzzing flight.

Giant Western Crane Fly

North America's largest crane fly with a wingspan approaching 80 mm. It inhabits mossy stream banks in western mountain forests.

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Did You Know?

It is the largest fly in North America and one of the largest true flies in the world.