Long-tailed Dance Fly vs Dun-bar

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Long-tailed Dance Fly Dun-bar
Scientific Name Rhamphomyia longicauda Cosmia trapezina
Order Diptera Lepidoptera
Family Empididae Noctuidae
Size 5-8mm 28-34 mm wingspan
Habitat Ponds & Lakes Underground
Diet Predators Predators
Regions North America Europe, Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Long-tailed Dance Fly

A small dark fly where females inflate their legs with air to appear larger during mating swarms. Males present nuptial gifts.

💡

Did You Know?

Females inflate their legs with air bubbles to look larger and more impressive to choosy males in mating swarms.

Dun-bar

A late summer noctuid moth whose caterpillars are partly predatory, eating other moth larvae sharing their tree. Variable brown coloration with a distinctive pale bar.

💡

Did You Know?

Caterpillars are cannibalistic and predatory, readily consuming other moth larvae they encounter on leaves.