Great Golden Digger Wasp vs Thistledown Velvet Ant
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Great Golden Digger Wasp | Thistledown Velvet Ant |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Sphex ichneumoneus | Dasymutilla gloriosa |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Sphecidae | Mutillidae |
| Size | 18-28 mm | 12-20 mm |
| Habitat | Deserts & Drylands | Deserts & Drylands |
| Diet | Nectar Feeders | Nectar Feeders |
| Regions | Throughout the United States and southern Canada | Southwestern United States from California to Texas |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
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.
Thistledown Velvet Ant
A strikingly beautiful velvet ant covered in long white hair that resembles a piece of thistledown blowing across desert sand. The wingless females are a remarkable mimic of windblown plant material.
Did You Know?
Its white fluffy appearance camouflages it among the creosote seed pods and dried plant debris of its desert habitat.