Yellow-legged Ophion vs Spotted-eye Hover Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Yellow-legged Ophion Spotted-eye Hover Fly
Scientific Name Ophion scutellaris Eristalinus taeniops
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Ichneumonidae Syrphidae
Size 15-20 mm 12-16 mm
Habitat Underground Wetlands
Diet Parasitoids Nectar Feeders
Regions Europe Throughout Africa
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Yellow-legged Ophion

A large orange-brown ichneumon wasp commonly attracted to light at night. Parasitizes large moth caterpillars. Has a laterally compressed, blade-like abdomen.

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Did You Know?

One of the most commonly reported ichneumon wasps in houses, drawn to lights on summer evenings.

Spotted-eye Hover Fly

A large hover fly with distinctively striped compound eyes and a bee-like body. It is an excellent pollinator found throughout Africa.

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Did You Know?

Its larvae are rat-tailed maggots that breathe through a telescoping siphon while living in stagnant water.