Netelia Ichneumon Wasp vs Horned Baboon Spider-hunting Wasp
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Netelia Ichneumon Wasp | Horned Baboon Spider-hunting Wasp |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Netelia melanura | Sphex tomentosus |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Ichneumonidae | Sphecidae |
| Size | 14-18 mm | 25-35 mm |
| Habitat | Underground | Deserts & Drylands |
| Diet | Parasitoids | Predators |
| Regions | Europe | East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Uganda) |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Netelia Ichneumon Wasp
A large orange ichneumon wasp attracted to light at night. Parasitizes noctuid moth caterpillars. Has a distinctive compressed, blade-like abdomen.
Did You Know?
Regularly enters houses at night, attracted by lights, and can give a mild sting if handled.
Horned Baboon Spider-hunting Wasp
A large, solitary wasp with a black body and metallic blue-green sheen. It hunts grasshoppers and katydids, paralyzing them and provisioning underground nest cells.
Did You Know?
French naturalist Jean-Henri Fabre's observations of this wasp's rigid behavioral routines led to famous debates about insect intelligence.