Thick-headed Fly vs Cairns Birdwing

Side-by-side species comparison

Thick-headed Fly

A wasp-mimicking fly that parasitizes bumblebees by injecting eggs into them mid-flight.

💡

Infected bumblebees bury themselves in soil where the fly larva pupates.

Australias largest endemic butterfly with males displaying vivid green and black wings. Females are larger and brown with white markings.

💡

It is the largest butterfly in Australia and was nearly driven to extinction by introduced Dutchmans pipe vines which are toxic to its larvae.