Secondary Screwworm Fly vs Phantom Midge

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Secondary Screwworm Fly Phantom Midge
Scientific Name Cochliomyia macellaria Chaoborus crystallinus
Order Diptera Diptera
Family Calliphoridae Chaoboridae
Size 8-12 mm 8-10 mm
Habitat Farmland Ponds & Lakes
Diet Carrion Feeders Predators
Regions North America, South America Europe, North America
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.

Phantom Midge

A nearly transparent midge whose larvae are planktonic predators in lakes. Larvae migrate vertically in the water column daily to avoid fish predation.

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Did You Know?

Its glass-clear larvae are almost invisible in water, earning the common name glassworm.