Southern Dogface vs Parasitic Bee Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Southern Dogface Parasitic Bee Fly
Scientific Name Zerene cesonia Winthemia rufopicta
Order Lepidoptera Diptera
Family Pieridae Tachinidae
Size 46-64 mm wingspan 6-9 mm
Habitat Heathland Farmland
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions North America, Central America, South America North America, Europe, Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Southern Dogface

Yellow butterfly with a pointed forewing showing a poodle-dog-face pattern in black. Males have a warm orange flush on the upper wing surface.

💡

Did You Know?

The forewing markings form a recognizable dog face profile when the wings are spread open.

Parasitic Bee Fly

A medium-sized tachinid fly that parasitizes armyworm caterpillars and other crop pest larvae. It is found across multiple continents.

💡

Did You Know?

Females deposit multiple larvae on a single caterpillar but only one typically survives to maturity.