Elephant Stomach Bot Fly vs Horntail Wasp

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Elephant Stomach Bot Fly Horntail Wasp
Scientific Name Cobboldia elephantis Urocerus gigas
Order Diptera Hymenoptera
Family Oestridae Siricidae
Size 14-18 mm 25-40 mm
Habitat Forests Forests
Diet Parasites Fungus Feeders
Regions South and Southeast Asia Europe, Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Elephant Stomach Bot Fly

A rare bot fly whose larvae develop in the stomachs of Asian elephants. Females lay eggs around the mouth of the elephant, and larvae migrate to the stomach. It is one of only a few bot flies specialized on elephants, and its biology is poorly understood.

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Did You Know?

It is one of the largest and rarest bot flies, and wild specimens are extremely difficult to collect due to their association with elephants.

Horntail Wasp

A large wood wasp that injects symbiotic fungus into trees along with its eggs.

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Did You Know?

The injected fungus softens the wood to make it digestible for the larvae.