Brazilian Wanderer Spider Wasp vs Indian Flower Mantis

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Brazilian Wanderer Spider Wasp Indian Flower Mantis
Scientific Name Pepsis fabricius Creobroter pictipennis
Order Hymenoptera Mantodea
Family Pompilidae Hymenopodidae
Size 35-55 mm 30-40 mm
Habitat Heathland Heathland
Diet Predators Predators
Regions South America (Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay) Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Brazilian Wanderer Spider Wasp

A large metallic blue-black spider wasp with bright orange wings that hunts tarantulas as food for its larvae. The female paralyzes a tarantula with her sting, then drags it to a burrow where a single egg is laid on the spider. The larva consumes the still-living spider from the inside.

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Did You Know?

Its sting is rated among the most painful of all insect stings, scoring a 4 out of 4 on the Schmidt Pain Index.

Indian Flower Mantis

A small, colorful flower mantis with green and white coloring and a single large eyespot on each forewing. It frequents flowering bushes where it ambushes pollinators.

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Did You Know?

Indian flower mantises have been observed swaying rhythmically on branches, a behavior believed to mimic flowers moving in a gentle breeze to lure prey.