Secondary Screwworm Fly vs Long-winged Fungus Gnat

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Secondary Screwworm Fly Long-winged Fungus Gnat
Scientific Name Cochliomyia macellaria Macrocera stigma
Order Diptera Diptera
Family Calliphoridae Mycetophilidae
Size 8-12 mm 5-8 mm
Habitat Farmland Woodlands
Diet Carrion Feeders Predators
Regions North America, South America Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Secondary Screwworm Fly

A blow fly that breeds in carrion and occasionally infests wounds in livestock. It is widely used in forensic studies in the Americas.

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Did You Know?

Unlike the primary screwworm, it only feeds on dead tissue rather than living flesh.

Long-winged Fungus Gnat

A delicate fungus gnat with unusually long antennae and slender patterned wings. It is often found in shaded damp woodland where it hunts small insects.

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Did You Know?

Some Macrocera species have bioluminescent larvae, though less spectacularly than the cave glowworms.