Spine-legged Robber Fly vs Long-winged Fungus Gnat

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Spine-legged Robber Fly Long-winged Fungus Gnat
Scientific Name Diogmites angustipennis Macrocera stigma
Order Diptera Diptera
Family Asilidae Mycetophilidae
Size 12-18 mm 5-8 mm
Habitat Deserts & Drylands Woodlands
Diet Predators Predators
Regions North America Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Spine-legged Robber Fly

A slender amber-colored robber fly with conspicuously spined legs. It hunts from the ground in open sandy or rocky areas.

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Did You Know?

Its heavily spined legs form a basket-like cage to trap prey in mid-air.

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.