Black Ichneumon Wasp vs Macropis Cuckoo Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Black Ichneumon Wasp Macropis Cuckoo Bee
Scientific Name Coelichneumon deliratorius Epeoloides coecutiens
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Ichneumonidae Melittidae
Size 18-25 mm 7-10 mm
Habitat Heathland Farmland
Diet Parasitoids Parasites
Regions Europe, Western Asia Europe, Eastern North America
Conservation Least Concern Endangered

Black Ichneumon Wasp

A large, entirely black ichneumon wasp with a robust build. It is a solitary parasitoid of large moth pupae hidden in soil.

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Did You Know?

Its all-black coloration makes it one of the most imposing-looking ichneumon wasps in Europe.

Macropis Cuckoo Bee

A rare cleptoparasitic bee that targets nests of Macropis oil-collecting bees. It was once thought extinct in North America before being rediscovered in Nova Scotia in 2002.

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Did You Know?

Its dramatic rediscovery in North America after decades of presumed extinction made international conservation news.