African Sand Wasp vs Large Copper Butterfly
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | African Sand Wasp | Large Copper Butterfly |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Bembix capensis | Lycaena dispar |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Lepidoptera |
| Family | Crabronidae | Lycaenidae |
| Size | 15-22 mm | 33-40 mm wingspan |
| Habitat | Beaches & Coastal | Wetlands |
| Diet | Nectar Feeders | Nectar Feeders |
| Regions | Southern Africa | Europe, Asia |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Near Threatened |
African Sand Wasp
A fast-flying sand wasp with black and yellow banding that nests in sandy ground. Females provision nests with captured flies.
Did You Know?
Females progressively feed their developing larvae with fresh flies over several days, unlike most wasps that mass-provision.
Large Copper Butterfly
Once widespread across European wetlands, the English subspecies went extinct in the 1850s. Remaining populations are declining due to drainage of fens and marshes.
Did You Know?
The English subspecies of the large copper was one of the first British butterflies to go extinct — driven to extinction by drainage of the East Anglian fens in the 1850s.