True Armyworm Moth vs Bee Killer Robber Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute True Armyworm Moth Bee Killer Robber Fly
Scientific Name Mythimna unipuncta Mallophora bomboides
Order Lepidoptera Diptera
Family Noctuidae Asilidae
Size 35-45 mm wingspan 20-28 mm
Habitat Farmland Farmland
Diet Omnivores Herbivores
Regions North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Oceania Eastern United States from New England to Florida
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

True Armyworm Moth

A tawny-brown moth with a single white dot on each forewing. Its larvae march in armies across fields, devastating cereal crops.

💡

Did You Know?

Larvae travel in large groups across the ground like a marching army, hence the common name.

Bee Killer Robber Fly

A large fuzzy robber fly that closely resembles a bumble bee in both appearance and buzzing flight. It perches on vegetation and launches aerial attacks on passing insects.

💡

Did You Know?

Its bumble bee mimicry is so convincing that it can sit among real bees at flowers without being recognized as a predator.