Tundra Mosquito vs Flesh Fly
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Tundra Mosquito | Flesh Fly |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aedes impiger | Sarcophaga carnaria |
| Order | Diptera | Diptera |
| Family | Culicidae | Sarcophagidae |
| Size | 4-6 mm | 10-18 mm |
| Habitat | Tundra & Arctic | Woodlands |
| Diet | Blood Feeders | Carrion Feeders |
| Regions | Canadian Arctic Archipelago, Greenland, Svalbard, northern Alaska | Europe, Asia, North America |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Tundra Mosquito
A small but abundant Arctic mosquito with dark body and pale leg bands. It is one of the most northerly distributed mosquito species in the world. Larvae inhabit shallow tundra ponds warmed by continuous summer sunlight.
Did You Know?
This mosquito has been found breeding at latitudes above 80 degrees north, among the most northerly insects on Earth.
Flesh Fly
A large gray fly with three black longitudinal stripes on the thorax and a checkered abdomen. Unlike most flies, females give birth to live larvae rather than laying eggs.
Did You Know?
Flesh flies are larviparous, depositing live first-instar maggots directly onto food sources, giving their offspring a developmental head start over egg-laying competitors.