Spider-hunting Wasp vs Tellkampf's Cave Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Spider-hunting Wasp Tellkampf's Cave Beetle
Scientific Name Anoplius nigerrimus Neaphaenops tellkampfi
Order Hymenoptera Coleoptera
Family Pompilidae Carabidae
Size 12-18mm 5-7 mm
Habitat Beaches & Coastal Caves
Diet Predators Predators
Regions Europe United States
Conservation Least Concern Vulnerable

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.

Tellkampf's Cave Beetle

A predatory blind cave beetle endemic to Kentucky's Mammoth Cave region. It feeds primarily on eggs of cave crickets.

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Did You Know?

It tracks down cave cricket eggs buried in sandy cave floors using chemical cues.