Silvius Horse Fly vs Snipe Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Silvius Horse Fly Snipe Fly
Scientific Name Silvius alpinus Rhagio scolopaceus
Order Diptera Diptera
Family Tabanidae Rhagionidae
Size 8-11 mm 10-15 mm
Habitat Forests Hedgerows
Diet Blood Feeders Predators
Regions Central and Southern Europe Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Silvius Horse Fly

A small brownish horse fly found in mountain forests and alpine meadows. It is one of the few horse flies adapted to high-altitude habitats.

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Did You Know?

It is one of the few horse fly species that thrives at altitudes above 1500 meters.

Snipe Fly

A slender, brownish fly with a pointed abdomen and spotted wings that typically perches head-down on tree trunks and fence posts. Adults are ambush predators of smaller insects.

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Did You Know?

This fly characteristically rests head-down on vertical surfaces, earning it the folk name "down-looker fly," and lunges at passing prey from this position.