Black Slip Wasp vs Verrucarum Sandfly
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Black Slip Wasp | Verrucarum Sandfly |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Pimpla instigator | Lutzomyia verrucarum |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Diptera |
| Family | Ichneumonidae | Psychodidae |
| Size | 12-16 mm | 2-3 mm |
| Habitat | Underground | Underground |
| Diet | Parasitoids | Carrion Feeders |
| Regions | Europe, Asia | Peru, Andean valleys of South America |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Black Slip Wasp
A medium-sized black ichneumon wasp that parasitizes butterfly and moth pupae. Uses its ovipositor to penetrate through cocoons. A common and widespread species.
Did You Know?
Can drill its ovipositor through tough pupal cases and silk cocoons to reach the developing insect inside.
Verrucarum Sandfly
A small sandfly found in the inter-Andean valleys of Peru, serving as the vector of Bartonella bacilliformis, which causes Carrion's disease (Oroya fever and verruga peruana). It is active at dusk and night at altitudes between 800 and 3,000 meters.
Did You Know?
Carrion's disease killed thousands of workers during construction of the Lima-La Oroya railway in the 1870s.