Copidosoma Polyembryonic Wasp vs Large White

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Copidosoma Polyembryonic Wasp Large White
Scientific Name Copidosoma floridanum Pieris brassicae
Order Hymenoptera Lepidoptera
Family Encyrtidae Pieridae
Size 1-1.5 mm 58-63 mm wingspan
Habitat Farmland Farmland
Diet Parasitoids Nectar Feeders
Regions North America, Europe Europe, Asia, Africa
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Copidosoma Polyembryonic Wasp

A remarkable parasitoid in which a single egg divides into thousands of genetically identical embryos inside a moth caterpillar. The host continues feeding and growing while filled with developing wasp larvae.

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Did You Know?

A single fertilized egg can clone itself into over 3,000 genetically identical wasp larvae inside one caterpillar.

Large White

A common white butterfly with black wingtips and one or two black spots on the forewing. Its green-yellow caterpillars are a major agricultural pest of brassica crops.

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Did You Know?

The caterpillars sequester mustard oils from their food plants and can spray these noxious chemicals at attacking predators.