Dark-edged Bee-fly vs Australian Painted Lady

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Dark-edged Bee-fly Australian Painted Lady
Scientific Name Bombylius major discolor Vanessa kershawi
Order Diptera Lepidoptera
Family Bombyliidae Nymphalidae
Size 8-12mm 4-5 cm wingspan
Habitat Deserts & Drylands Underground
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Asia Australia, New Zealand
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Dark-edged Bee-fly

A subspecies of the bee-fly with slightly different wing patterning found in eastern populations.

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Did You Know?

Hovers at spring flowers with its long rigid proboscis extended, looking remarkably like a furry hummingbird.

Australian Painted Lady

An orange, black, and white butterfly closely related to the cosmopolitan painted lady. It undertakes seasonal migrations across southeastern Australia.

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Did You Know?

Millions migrate northward in autumn in one of Australia's most impressive insect movements.