Tiger Bee Fly vs Blue Bottle Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Tiger Bee Fly Blue Bottle Fly
Scientific Name Xenox tigrinus Calliphora vomitoria
Order Diptera Diptera
Family Bombyliidae Calliphoridae
Size 12-18 mm 10-14 mm
Habitat Woodlands Woodlands
Diet Parasitoids Carrion Feeders
Regions North America Europe, North America, Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Tiger Bee Fly

A large, dramatic bee fly with boldly patterned black and white spotted wings. It is commonly seen flying around wooden structures where its host carpenter bees nest.

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Did You Know?

Females hover at carpenter bee nest entrances and flick eggs inside while the bee is away foraging.

Blue Bottle Fly

A large, metallic blue fly with a loud buzzing flight and prominent bristly body. It is one of the first insects to arrive on carrion and is extensively used in forensic entomology.

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Did You Know?

Forensic scientists can determine time of death by analyzing the developmental stages of blow fly larvae found on human remains with accuracy down to hours.