Ash Whitefly Parasitoid vs Tinkerbell Fairyfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Ash Whitefly Parasitoid Tinkerbell Fairyfly
Scientific Name Encarsia inaron Tinkerbella nana
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Eulophidae Mymaridae
Size 0.5-1 mm 0.25 mm
Habitat Woodlands Underground
Diet Parasitoids Parasitoids
Regions Europe, Asia, North America Central America
Conservation Least Concern Data Deficient

Ash Whitefly Parasitoid

A minute parasitoid wasp that attacks whitefly nymphs on ash trees and other hosts. It was introduced to California to control the ash whitefly.

💡

Did You Know?

It successfully eliminated ash whitefly as a pest in southern California within just a few years of introduction.

Tinkerbell Fairyfly

One of the smallest insects ever described, named after Peter Pans Tinker Bell. Discovered in Costa Rica in 2013. Measures only 0.25 mm in length.

💡

Did You Know?

Named after the fairy Tinkerbell, this wasp is so tiny it can stand on the tip of a human hair — it was described in 2013 from specimens collected using specialized micro-traps.