Stink Bug Tachinid vs Greater Bee Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Stink Bug Tachinid Greater Bee Fly
Scientific Name Trichopoda pennipes Bombylius canescens
Order Diptera Diptera
Family Tachinidae Bombyliidae
Size 8-12 mm 10-14 mm
Habitat Farmland Deserts & Drylands
Diet Parasites Nectar Feeders
Regions North America, South America Southern Europe, North Africa, Western Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Stink Bug Tachinid

A distinctive parasitic fly with a flattened orange abdomen and feathery legs. It attacks stink bugs and squash bugs in agricultural settings.

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Did You Know?

Its fringed hind legs are thought to mimic bee pollen baskets, confusing predators.

Greater Bee Fly

A pale greyish bee fly with a long proboscis and clear wings. It parasitizes ground-nesting bees in arid Mediterranean habitats.

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Did You Know?

It can hover motionless in the air for extended periods while probing flowers with its rigid proboscis.