Field Digger Wasp vs Japanese Horntail

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Field Digger Wasp Japanese Horntail
Scientific Name Mellinus arvensis Eriotremex formosanus
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Crabronidae Siricidae
Size 10-14mm 20-35 mm
Habitat Heathland Woodlands
Diet Predators Wood Feeders
Regions Europe East Asia, Taiwan, introduced to southeastern United States
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Field Digger Wasp

A yellow and black wasp that nests in sandy soil and provisions each cell with paralyzed hoverflies.

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Did You Know?

Digs a nest burrow in bare sandy soil and stocks each cell with 5-8 precisely paralyzed hoverflies.

Japanese Horntail

A large wood wasp with a robust reddish-brown body and dark wings. Native to East Asia, it attacks stressed and recently felled hardwood trees.

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Did You Know?

This species was first detected in North America in 1974 and is one of the few tropical siricid wood wasps to establish invasive populations.