Golden Paper Wasp vs Lunate Ichneumon
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Golden Paper Wasp | Lunate Ichneumon |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Polistes fuscatus | Megarhyssa greenei |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Vespidae | Ichneumonidae |
| Size | 15-21 mm | 25-40 mm body, ovipositor up to 80 mm |
| Habitat | Woodlands | Woodlands |
| Diet | Fruit Feeders | Parasitoids |
| Regions | Eastern North America | North America |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Golden Paper Wasp
A social wasp with highly variable facial markings used for individual recognition. It builds open paper nests under eaves and in sheltered spots.
Did You Know?
It is one of the few invertebrates scientifically proven to recognize individual faces.
Lunate Ichneumon
A reddish-brown parasitoid wasp native to North America. It targets horntail larvae in hardwood trees and uses its long ovipositor to reach them.
Did You Know?
It is the smallest of the three North American Megarhyssa species but still impressively large.