Woodland Malaria Mosquito vs Dotted Bee Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Woodland Malaria Mosquito Dotted Bee Fly
Scientific Name Anopheles punctulatus Bombylius discolor
Order Diptera Diptera
Family Culicidae Bombyliidae
Size 4-6 mm 10-14 mm
Habitat Forests Beaches & Coastal
Diet Blood Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Indonesia Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Woodland Malaria Mosquito

A major malaria vector in the southwest Pacific with spotted wings. It breeds in sunlit ground pools and temporary puddles.

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Did You Know?

It is the primary malaria vector in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.

Dotted Bee Fly

A spring-flying bee fly distinguished from its commoner relative by spotted wings and a darker fur coat. Its larvae parasitize mining bee larvae of the genus Andrena.

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Did You Know?

It appears only in spring for a few weeks, closely tracking the flight season of its specific Andrena bee hosts.