Elm Leaf Beetle vs Long-tailed Giant Ichneumon

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Elm Leaf Beetle Long-tailed Giant Ichneumon
Scientific Name Xanthogaleruca luteola Megarhyssa atrata
Order Coleoptera Hymenoptera
Family Chrysomelidae Ichneumonidae
Size 5-7 mm 30-50 mm body, ovipositor up to 130 mm
Habitat Woodlands Woodlands
Diet Herbivores Wood Feeders
Regions Europe, introduced worldwide North America
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Elm Leaf Beetle

A yellowish-green beetle with dark stripes along its elytra. Both adults and larvae feed on elm leaves, sometimes causing severe defoliation.

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Did You Know?

Heavy infestations can strip an elm tree of nearly all its leaves in a single season.

Long-tailed Giant Ichneumon

A large dark-bodied ichneumonid wasp found in eastern North America. Females bore through bark to parasitize pigeon tremex horntail larvae.

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Did You Know?

Multiple females often congregate on the same dead tree, drilling simultaneously for hosts.