Banded Ichneumon vs Cork Moth

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Banded Ichneumon Cork Moth
Scientific Name Ichneumon xanthorius Nemapogon cloacella
Order Hymenoptera Lepidoptera
Family Ichneumonidae Tineidae
Size 14-18 mm 10-16 mm wingspan
Habitat Gardens Gardens
Diet Parasitoids Fungus Feeders
Regions Europe Europe, Asia, introduced to North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Banded Ichneumon

A boldly patterned black-and-yellow parasitoid wasp commonly found in European gardens. It parasitizes large moth caterpillars that pupate in soil.

💡

Did You Know?

Despite its wasp-like warning colors, it rarely stings and is harmless to humans.

Cork Moth

A small mottled brown and cream moth that naturally breeds in bracket fungi on trees. It occasionally becomes a pest in wine cellars by boring into corks.

💡

Did You Know?

Wine collectors dread this moth because its larvae can bore through corks and ruin entire cellars of fine wine.