Acorn Moth vs Common Pimpline Wasp

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Acorn Moth Common Pimpline Wasp
Scientific Name Blastobasis glandulella Pimpla hypochondriaca
Order Lepidoptera Hymenoptera
Family Blastobasidae Ichneumonidae
Size 15–22 mm wingspan 10-15 mm
Habitat Woodlands Woodlands
Diet Omnivores Parasitoids
Regions Eastern North America Europe, Asia
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Acorn Moth

A small moth whose larvae bore into and consume the contents of acorns on the forest floor. It is common in oak woodlands across eastern North America.

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Did You Know?

In heavy infestation years, it can destroy over half the acorn crop on the forest floor.

Common Pimpline Wasp

A stout black parasitoid wasp that attacks moth and butterfly pupae. It is one of the most frequently encountered ichneumonids in Europe.

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Did You Know?

Females inject venom that permanently paralyzes the host pupa before laying an egg on it.