Summer Fishfly vs Black Soldier Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Summer Fishfly Black Soldier Fly
Scientific Name Chauliodes pectinicornis Hermetia illucens
Order Megaloptera Diptera
Family Corydalidae Stratiomyidae
Size 25-40 mm 15-20 mm
Habitat Rivers & Streams Underground
Diet Omnivores Omnivores
Regions North America North America, South America, Central America, Asia, Oceania
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Summer Fishfly

A medium-sized fishfly emerging in summer with distinctive dark-veined wings and feathery antennae. Larvae develop in muddy stream bottoms.

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Did You Know?

Unlike dobsonfly larvae that prefer fast-flowing water, summer fishfly larvae thrive in slow muddy pools and swamps.

Black Soldier Fly

A large, wasp-like fly with a shiny black body and translucent areas on the abdomen. Its larvae are extraordinarily efficient at converting organic waste into protein and fat.

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Did You Know?

Black soldier fly larvae can reduce food waste mass by 95 percent in days, and the resulting protein-rich larvae are increasingly farmed as sustainable animal feed.