Downlooker Fly vs Northern House Mosquito

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Downlooker Fly Northern House Mosquito
Scientific Name Rhagio tringarius Aedes hexodontus
Order Diptera Diptera
Family Rhagionidae Culicidae
Size 8-12mm 5-7 mm
Habitat Wetlands Tundra & Arctic
Diet Herbivores Blood Feeders
Regions Europe Alaska, Yukon, Northwest Territories, northern Siberia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Downlooker Fly

A slender predatory fly with spotted wings that perches head-downward on vegetation waiting for prey.

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Did You Know?

Always rests facing downward on stems and leaves, earning it the name downlooker or snipe fly.

Northern House Mosquito

A dark-colored Arctic mosquito with distinctive banding on the abdomen. It breeds in tundra pools and is a major pest species in northern regions. Females are aggressive biters, active even in cool temperatures.

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Did You Know?

This species can complete its entire larval development in as little as two weeks in the continuous daylight of Arctic summer.