Spider-hunting Wasp vs Japanese Horntail

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Spider-hunting Wasp Japanese Horntail
Scientific Name Anoplius nigerrimus Eriotremex formosanus
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Pompilidae Siricidae
Size 12-18mm 20-35 mm
Habitat Beaches & Coastal Woodlands
Diet Predators Wood Feeders
Regions Europe East Asia, Taiwan, introduced to southeastern United States
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Spider-hunting Wasp

A large all-black spider-hunting wasp that drags paralyzed wolf spiders back to its burrow.

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Did You Know?

Paralyzes a wolf spider with a precise sting to the nerve ganglion then drags it backwards to its burrow.

Japanese Horntail

A large wood wasp with a robust reddish-brown body and dark wings. Native to East Asia, it attacks stressed and recently felled hardwood trees.

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Did You Know?

This species was first detected in North America in 1974 and is one of the few tropical siricid wood wasps to establish invasive populations.