Eastern Lubber Grasshopper vs Horned Baboon Spider-hunting Wasp
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Eastern Lubber Grasshopper | Horned Baboon Spider-hunting Wasp |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Romalea microptera | Sphex tomentosus |
| Order | Orthoptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Romaleidae | Sphecidae |
| Size | 50-80 mm | 25-35 mm |
| Habitat | Grasslands | Deserts & Drylands |
| Diet | Predators | Predators |
| Regions | North America | East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Uganda) |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Eastern Lubber Grasshopper
A large, brightly colored grasshopper with short wings that cannot fly. Its bold yellow, red, and black coloration warns predators of its toxic secretions.
Did You Know?
When threatened, lubber grasshoppers secrete a foul-smelling, toxic froth from their thoracic spiracles that can sicken birds.
Horned Baboon Spider-hunting Wasp
A large, solitary wasp with a black body and metallic blue-green sheen. It hunts grasshoppers and katydids, paralyzing them and provisioning underground nest cells.
Did You Know?
French naturalist Jean-Henri Fabre's observations of this wasp's rigid behavioral routines led to famous debates about insect intelligence.