Subarctic Flesh Fly vs Italian Stick Insect

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Subarctic Flesh Fly Italian Stick Insect
Scientific Name Sarcophaga nigriventris Bacillus atticus
Order Diptera Phasmatodea
Family Sarcophagidae Phasmatidae
Size 8-14 mm 5-8 cm
Habitat Heathland Heathland
Diet Carrion Feeders Herbivores
Regions Scandinavia, northern Russia, subarctic Canada, Alaska Italy, Greece, Turkey
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Subarctic Flesh Fly

A medium-sized gray fly with black longitudinal stripes on the thorax and a checkered abdomen. Unlike most flies, females give birth to live larvae rather than laying eggs. Adults are found on carrion and dung.

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Did You Know?

By giving birth to live larvae that are ready to feed immediately, this fly gives its offspring a head start in the short Arctic summer.

Italian Stick Insect

A small Mediterranean stick insect found in southern Europe. It is notable for its complex reproductive biology involving hybridogenesis.

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Did You Know?

It can reproduce through hybridogenesis, a rare mechanism where one parent's genome is discarded each generation.