Emerald Cuckoo Wasp vs Violet Cuckoo Wasp

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Emerald Cuckoo Wasp Violet Cuckoo Wasp
Scientific Name Stilbum cyanurum Chrysis rutilans
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Chrysididae Chrysididae
Size 10-18 mm 6-10 mm
Habitat Underground Heathland
Diet Nectar Feeders Parasites
Regions Africa, Southern Asia, Australia, Southern Europe Southern Europe, North Africa, Middle East
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Emerald Cuckoo Wasp

One of the largest and most spectacular cuckoo wasps with a vivid metallic green and blue body. It parasitizes mud dauber wasp nests across the Old World tropics.

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Did You Know?

It is the largest cuckoo wasp in the world and its metallic colors can shift from green to blue depending on the viewing angle.

Violet Cuckoo Wasp

A stunning cuckoo wasp with violet, purple, and green metallic hues across its body. It parasitizes mud-nesting wasps in Mediterranean regions.

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Did You Know?

Its violet and purple colors are among the rarest in the insect world and are produced entirely by light-refracting nanostructures.