Braconid Mummy Wasp vs Metaphycus Scale Parasitoid
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Braconid Mummy Wasp | Metaphycus Scale Parasitoid |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aphidius matricariae | Metaphycus helvolus |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Braconidae | Encyrtidae |
| Size | 1.5-2 mm | 1-1.5 mm |
| Habitat | Farmland | Orchards |
| Diet | Parasitoids | Parasitoids |
| Regions | Europe, Asia, North America | Worldwide (introduced for biocontrol) |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Not Evaluated |
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.
Did You Know?
Females can detect which aphids have already been parasitized and avoid wasting eggs on them.
Metaphycus Scale Parasitoid
A golden-yellow parasitoid wasp that attacks black scale and other soft scale insects on citrus and olive trees. It is one of the most widely used encyrtids in commercial biological control.
Did You Know?
Adults also feed directly on young scale insects by piercing them with their ovipositor, killing hosts through both parasitism and host-feeding.