Yellow Dance Fly vs Horn Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Yellow Dance Fly Horn Fly
Scientific Name Empis stercorea Haematobia irritans
Order Diptera Diptera
Family Empididae Muscidae
Size 6-8 mm 3-5 mm
Habitat Hedgerows Farmland
Diet Predators Blood Feeders
Regions Europe Worldwide
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Yellow Dance Fly

A medium-sized dance fly with a yellowish body commonly found on spring flowers. Males present prey items as mating gifts. An important pollinator of spring flowers.

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Did You Know?

Important early-season pollinators that visit spring flowers while also hunting small insects on them.

Horn Fly

A small blood-feeding fly that spends almost its entire life on cattle. It clusters at the base of horns and along the back and belly.

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Did You Know?

Each fly feeds up to 40 times daily, and infestations of thousands per animal cause severe weight loss.