Bilberry Tortrix vs Common Red-legged Robberfly

Aphelia viburnana compared with Dioctria rufipes

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Bilberry Tortrix	Common Red-legged Robberfly
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class same	Insecta (Insects)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)	Diptera (Diptera)
Family	Tortricidae	Asilidae
Genus	Aphelia	Dioctria
Species	Aphelia viburnana	Dioctria rufipes

Evolutionary Relationship

Bilberry Tortrix and Common Red-legged Robberfly share a common ancestor at the Class level: Insecta. (Insects)

Conservation Status

Bilberry Tortrix

LC — Least Concern

Common Red-legged Robberfly

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Bilberry Tortrix	Common Red-legged Robberfly
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Bilberry Tortrix

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Common Red-legged Robberfly

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Bilberry Tortrix

The Bilberry Tortrix (Aphelia viburnana) is a species in the genus Aphelia. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Common Red-legged Robberfly

<em>Dioctria rufipes</em>, the common red-legged robberfly, is a predatory fly in the family Asilidae, order Diptera. It is distributed across northwestern Europe, with confirmed records from Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, typically favoring woodland edges, hedgerows, and meadows with abundant vegetation. The species is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, reflecting stable populations across its European range. Robberflies in the genus Dioctria are slender, elongated flies characterized by a distinctive long proboscis used to inject paralyzing saliva into prey. <em>Dioctria rufipes</em> typically hunts smaller flying insects, including midges, small flies, and other soft-bodied arthropods, ambushing prey from resting perches on vegetation and capturing it mid-flight. Adults are typically active from late spring to early autumn, coinciding with peak insect activity. The red or reddish-orange coloration of the hind femora is the diagnostic feature that gives this species its common name. Larvae develop in soil or decaying wood, where they are believed to be predatory on other invertebrate larvae. Biological traits such as precise lifespan, body measurements, and diet composition remain poorly documented in quantitative studies. The species is considered an important component of invertebrate predator guilds in European agricultural landscapes.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden