Striped Horse Fly vs Sand Fly
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Striped Horse Fly | Sand Fly |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Tabanus lineola | Phlebotomus papatasi |
| Order | Diptera | Diptera |
| Family | Tabanidae | Psychodidae |
| Size | 12-16 mm | 2-3 mm |
| Habitat | Farmland | Caves |
| Diet | Blood Feeders | Blood Feeders |
| Regions | Eastern North America | Africa, Asia, Europe |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Striped Horse Fly
A medium-sized horse fly with a pale dorsal stripe on the abdomen. Females are persistent blood-feeders on livestock and horses.
Did You Know?
Female horse flies can extract up to 0.5 ml of blood in a single feeding.
Sand Fly
A tiny, hairy, yellowish fly with large dark eyes and wings held in a V-shape above the body. Females feed on blood and are the primary vectors of leishmaniasis in the Old World.
Did You Know?
Sand flies are so small they can pass through standard mosquito netting, and they fly in short silent hops rather than sustained buzzing flight.