Dog Flea vs Mason Wasp

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute	Dog Flea	Mason Wasp
Scientific Name	Ctenocephalides canis	Ancistrocerus nigricornis
Order	Siphonaptera	Hymenoptera
Family	Pulicidae	Vespidae
Size	2-3.5 mm	10-14 mm
Habitat	Underground	Underground
Diet	Blood Feeders	Nectar Feeders
Regions	Europe, Asia, Africa, North America	Europe, Western Asia
Conservation	Least Concern	Least Concern

Dog Flea

A flea historically associated with domestic dogs but actually less common on dogs than the cat flea. Distinguished by its more rounded head profile.

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Despite being called the dog flea, this species is often outnumbered on dogs by cat fleas at a ratio of ten to one.

A small black and yellow solitary wasp that nests in pre-existing holes and hollow stems. It provisions each cell with paralyzed moth caterpillars.

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It readily uses artificial bee hotels, making it one of the easiest solitary wasps to attract to gardens.