Sand Fly vs Pedician Crane Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute	Sand Fly	Pedician Crane Fly
Scientific Name	Phlebotomus papatasi	Pedicia rivosa
Order	Diptera	Diptera
Family	Psychodidae	Pediciidae
Size	2-3 mm	18-25 mm body length
Habitat	Caves	Rivers & Streams
Diet	Blood Feeders	Herbivores
Regions	Africa, Asia, Europe	Europe, Northern Asia
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.

Pedician Crane Fly

A large, mottled-winged crane fly whose predatory larvae hunt invertebrates in wet mud and stream margins. Adults are often found resting on vegetation near flowing water.

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Did You Know?

Unlike most crane fly larvae that eat decaying matter, its larvae are voracious predators that ambush worms and insect larvae in mud.