Eastern Carpenter Bee vs Giant Orange Ichneumon

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Eastern Carpenter Bee Giant Orange Ichneumon
Scientific Name Xylocopa virginica Netelia producta
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Apidae Ichneumonidae
Size 19-23 mm 15-22 mm
Habitat Gardens Woodlands
Diet Nectar Feeders Parasitoids
Regions Eastern North America North America
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Eastern Carpenter Bee

A large robust bee that resembles a bumble bee but has a shiny black hairless abdomen. It excavates nesting tunnels in wood and is an effective pollinator of many garden flowers and crops.

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Did You Know?

Males are extremely territorial and will hover aggressively near people, but they lack a stinger and cannot sting.

Giant Orange Ichneumon

A large, uniformly orange ichneumon wasp commonly attracted to lights. It parasitizes caterpillars of owlet moths and geometrid moths.

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Did You Know?

It is one of the most frequently encountered ichneumon wasps at porch lights across North America during summer.