Great Golden Digger Wasp vs Coral Pink Sand Dunes Tiger Beetle
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Great Golden Digger Wasp | Coral Pink Sand Dunes Tiger Beetle |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Sphex ichneumoneus | Cicindela albissima |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Coleoptera |
| Family | Sphecidae | Carabidae |
| Size | 18-28 mm | 11-13 mm |
| Habitat | Deserts & Drylands | Deserts & Drylands |
| Diet | Nectar Feeders | Predators |
| Regions | Throughout the United States and southern Canada | Kane County, Utah, United States |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Endangered |
Great Golden Digger Wasp
A large solitary wasp with a golden-furred thorax and orange-red legs that digs burrows in sandy soil. It provisions its nest with paralyzed katydids and crickets.
Did You Know?
It always performs a specific inspection routine of its burrow before dragging prey inside, a behavior famously studied by early ethologists.
Coral Pink Sand Dunes Tiger Beetle
A nearly white tiger beetle perfectly camouflaged against the pink-white sand dunes of its sole habitat in southern Utah. It is one of the most narrowly endemic tiger beetles in the world.
Did You Know?
Its entire world population occupies about 365 acres of sand dunes in Utah, and off-road vehicle recreation in the dunes is the primary threat to its survival.