Whitefly vs Farmyard Midge

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Whitefly Farmyard Midge
Scientific Name Bemisia tabaci Culicoides nubeculosus
Order Hemiptera Diptera
Family Aleyrodidae Ceratopogonidae
Size 1-1.5 mm 2 mm
Habitat Farmland Farmland
Diet Sap Feeders Dung Feeders
Regions Cosmopolitan in warm regions Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Whitefly

A tiny sap-sucking insect that transmits over 100 plant viruses worldwide. It is one of the most destructive agricultural pests in tropical and subtropical regions.

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Did You Know?

It is actually a complex of over 40 cryptic species that are morphologically nearly identical.

Farmyard Midge

A tiny biting midge that breeds in mud contaminated by dung or sewage. Adults suck blood from horses and cattle. Can transmit bluetongue virus and African horse sickness.

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Did You Know?

Despite being only 2mm long, it is the primary vector of bluetongue virus, a devastating livestock disease.