Blandford Fly vs Hawaiian Picture-wing Fly (Heteroneura)
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Blandford Fly | Hawaiian Picture-wing Fly (Heteroneura) |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Simulium posticatum | Drosophila heteroneura |
| Order | Diptera | Diptera |
| Family | Simuliidae | Drosophilidae |
| Size | 2-3 mm | 5-7 mm |
| Habitat | Rivers & Streams | Forests |
| Diet | Blood Feeders | Wood Feeders |
| Regions | Europe | Oceania (Hawaii - Big Island) |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Endangered |
Blandford Fly
A notorious black fly that causes severe allergic reactions with its bite around the Blandford area of Dorset. Females need blood meals for egg development. Larvae develop in clean rivers.
Did You Know?
Named after Blandford Forum in Dorset where outbreaks of painful bites affect thousands of people each summer.
Hawaiian Picture-wing Fly (Heteroneura)
A remarkable Hawaiian picture-wing fly famous for its hammer-shaped head, found only on Hawaii Island. Males use their broad, flattened heads in head-butting contests for mating rights. It breeds in decaying Clermontia bark.
Did You Know?
Males have uniquely hammer-shaped heads that they use as battering rams, headbutting rival males in combat over territory and mates.