Tangle-veined Fly vs Arctic Hover Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Tangle-veined Fly Arctic Hover Fly
Scientific Name Nemestrina longirostris Syrphus torvus
Order Diptera Diptera
Family Nemestrinidae Syrphidae
Size 15-20 mm 9-13 mm
Habitat Heathland Tundra & Arctic
Diet Parasitoids Predators
Regions Africa Scandinavia, Finland, northern Russia, subarctic Canada, Alaska
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Tangle-veined Fly

A fly with an extraordinarily long proboscis for feeding from deep tubular flowers.

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Did You Know?

Its proboscis can exceed its body length to reach nectar in long-tubed flowers.

Arctic Hover Fly

A medium-sized hover fly with bold yellow and black banding that mimics a wasp. It is a skilled hoverer that can remain stationary in midair. Larvae are voracious predators of aphids on subarctic plants.

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Did You Know?

This hover fly is an important pollinator in subarctic regions where honeybees are absent, visiting many northern wildflowers.