Black Deerfly vs Christmasbush

Chrysops sepulcralis compared with Alchornea cordifolia

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Black Deerfly	Christmasbush
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Diptera (Diptera)	Malpighiales (Malpighiales)
Family	Tabanidae	Euphorbiaceae
Genus	Chrysops	Alchornea
Species	Chrysops sepulcralis	Alchornea cordifolia

Conservation Status

Black Deerfly

LC — Least Concern

Christmasbush

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Black Deerfly	Christmasbush
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Black Deerfly

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Christmasbush

Habitat

Inhabits tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests and flooded grasslands and savannas within the Afrotropic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across Cameroon and Guinea.

Black Deerfly

The Black Deerfly (Chrysops sepulcralis) is a species in the genus Chrysops. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats. Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Christmasbush

Christmasbush (Bursaria spinosa) is a native Australian shrub or small tree in the family Pittosporaceae, widely distributed across southeastern Australia. The species is found in a variety of habitats including dry sclerophyll woodland, grassland margins, and coastal heath, growing in well-drained soils. It produces dense clusters of small, fragrant white flowers typically in summer or early autumn, which coincide with the Australian Christmas season and give rise to one of its common names. The flowers are rich in nectar and attract a wide diversity of insects including native bees, butterflies, and beetles, making Bursaria spinosa one of the most ecologically significant flowering shrubs in southeastern Australian woodlands for invertebrate communities. The plant is also a critical larval host for several butterfly species, including the rare golden sun moth. Bursaria spinosa is a pioneering species in disturbed landscapes and is used in revegetation and ecological restoration projects. Its dense, thorny branches provide protective nesting habitat for small birds. The species tolerates poor soils and periods of drought once established. It has no significant conservation concerns and is common throughout its range.