Greenhead Horse Fly vs Thread-waisted Wasp
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Greenhead Horse Fly | Thread-waisted Wasp |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Tabanus nigrovittatus | Ammophila sabulosa |
| Order | Diptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Tabanidae | Sphecidae |
| Size | 12-15 mm | 16-24 mm |
| Habitat | Beaches & Coastal | Beaches & Coastal |
| Diet | Blood Feeders | Predators |
| Regions | Eastern North America | Europe, Asia |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Greenhead Horse Fly
A coastal salt marsh horse fly with bright green eyes. It is the most abundant biting fly along the Atlantic coast of North America.
Did You Know?
Greenheads are so abundant in some coastal areas that they limit beach recreation in summer.
Thread-waisted Wasp
An elegant wasp with an extremely narrow petiole and red-banded abdomen. It hunts caterpillars and carries them clasped beneath its body to sandy burrows.
Did You Know?
It uses a small pebble as a tool to tamp down the sand plug sealing its burrow, one of the earliest documented cases of tool use in insects.