Conops Fly vs Pear Leaf-curling Midge

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Conops Fly Pear Leaf-curling Midge
Scientific Name Conops flavipes Dasineura pyri
Order Diptera Diptera
Family Conopidae Cecidomyiidae
Size 8-12mm 1-2 mm
Habitat Underground Orchards
Diet Parasitoids Herbivores
Regions Europe Europe, Asia, introduced to North America and Australia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Conops Fly

A wasp-mimicking fly with yellow legs and a narrow waist. Females parasitize adult bumblebees.

💡

Did You Know?

Chases bumblebees in flight and forcefully deposits an egg inside the bee's abdomen during a brief mid-air grapple.

Pear Leaf-curling Midge

A minute gall midge whose larvae cause pear leaves to roll tightly inward along their margins. Multiple generations can occur per year, progressively damaging pear tree foliage.

💡

Did You Know?

The larvae manipulate plant growth hormones to force leaves to curl around them, creating a protective shelter.