Ensign Wasp vs Black-Headed Blister Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Ensign Wasp Black-Headed Blister Beetle
Scientific Name Evania appendigaster Epicauta pennsylvanica
Order Hymenoptera Coleoptera
Family Evaniidae Meloidae
Size 5-7 mm 10-18 mm
Habitat Woodlands Grasslands
Diet Parasitoids Parasitoids
Regions Africa, Asia, North America, South America North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Ensign Wasp

A parasitoid wasp that targets cockroach egg cases and helps control pest populations.

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Did You Know?

It bobs its flag-like abdomen up and down as it walks, resembling a tiny flag bearer.

Black-Headed Blister Beetle

An entirely black blister beetle common across eastern North America, often seen in large groups on goldenrod in autumn. Its larvae are parasitoids of grasshopper eggs.

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Did You Know?

Larvae go through hypermetamorphosis, changing dramatically in form across five different larval stages.