Western Chicken Flea vs Red-footed Robber Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute	Western Chicken Flea	Red-footed Robber Fly
Scientific Name	Ceratophyllus niger	Dioctria rufipes
Order	Siphonaptera	Diptera
Family	Ceratophyllidae	Asilidae
Size	2-3 mm	9-13 mm
Habitat	Woodlands	Woodlands
Diet	Blood Feeders	Herbivores
Regions	Western North America	Europe, Western Asia
Conservation	Least Concern	Least Concern

Western Chicken Flea

A poultry flea common in western North America that infests chickens and other domestic birds. Heavy infestations reduce egg production and can kill young chicks.

💡

Did You Know?

Larvae develop in accumulated nest debris and droppings in poultry houses rather than on the bird itself.

Red-footed Robber Fly

A slender, metallic-dark robber fly with conspicuous orange-red legs found in European woodlands. It specializes in ambushing small flies and midges from sunlit perches on leaves.

💡

Did You Know?

It is one of the earliest robber flies to appear each year, often active from late spring when most other asilids are still developing.