Double-banded Scoliid vs Golden Paper Wasp

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Double-banded Scoliid Golden Paper Wasp
Scientific Name Scolia bicincta Polistes fuscatus
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Scoliidae Vespidae
Size 15-22 mm 15-21 mm
Habitat Gardens Woodlands
Diet Nectar Feeders Fruit Feeders
Regions Eastern North America Eastern North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Double-banded Scoliid

A robust black wasp with two prominent yellow bands across the abdomen. It is a beneficial garden insect that parasitizes scarab beetle grubs in lawns.

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Did You Know?

Gardeners often mistake it for a dangerous wasp, but it is actually a beneficial predator of lawn-destroying grubs.

Golden Paper Wasp

A social wasp with highly variable facial markings used for individual recognition. It builds open paper nests under eaves and in sheltered spots.

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Did You Know?

It is one of the few invertebrates scientifically proven to recognize individual faces.