Braconid Mummy Wasp vs Carolina Mantis

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Braconid Mummy Wasp Carolina Mantis
Scientific Name Aphidius matricariae Stagmomantis carolina
Order Hymenoptera Mantodea
Family Braconidae Mantidae
Size 1.5-2 mm 47-60 mm
Habitat Farmland Farmland
Diet Parasitoids Predators
Regions Europe, Asia, North America North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Braconid Mummy Wasp

A small parasitoid wasp specializing in green peach aphids and other crop pest aphids. It is commercially reared for biological pest control.

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Did You Know?

Females can detect which aphids have already been parasitized and avoid wasting eggs on them.

Carolina Mantis

The most common native mantis species in the eastern United States, occurring in green, brown, and mottled forms. It is smaller than the introduced Chinese and European mantises.

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Did You Know?

Carolina mantises are designated as the official state insect of South Carolina, making them one of the few predatory insects honored with such a title.