Biting Midge (No-See-Um) vs Paper Wasp
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Biting Midge (No-See-Um) | Paper Wasp |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Culicoides imicola | Polistes dominula |
| Order | Diptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Ceratopogonidae | Vespidae |
| Size | 1-3 mm | 15-20 mm |
| Habitat | Underground | Underground |
| Diet | Blood Feeders | Fruit Feeders |
| Regions | Africa, Middle East, southern Europe, Asia | Europe, worldwide (introduced) |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Biting Midge (No-See-Um)
A tiny biting midge that is the primary Old World vector of bluetongue virus and African horse sickness virus. It breeds in moist, organically enriched soil and is crepuscular, biting at dawn and dusk. Its northward spread into Europe has introduced bluetongue to previously unaffected areas.
Did You Know?
Climate change has allowed this midge to expand northward into Europe, bringing bluetongue disease to countries that had never experienced it.
Paper Wasp
Builds open-comb nests from chewed wood fiber mixed with saliva, creating paper-like material. Has a complex social hierarchy with facial pattern recognition between individuals.
Did You Know?
Paper wasps can recognize individual faces — they use facial patterns to identify nestmates and establish dominance hierarchies, one of the few insects known to have face recognition.