Horned Baboon Spider-hunting Wasp vs Green Lacewing
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Horned Baboon Spider-hunting Wasp | Green Lacewing |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Sphex tomentosus | Chrysoperla carnea |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Neuroptera |
| Family | Sphecidae | Chrysopidae |
| Size | 25-35 mm | 12-20 mm body, 30 mm wingspan |
| Habitat | Deserts & Drylands | Farmland |
| Diet | Predators | Predators |
| Regions | East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Uganda) | Worldwide |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Horned Baboon Spider-hunting Wasp
A large, solitary wasp with a black body and metallic blue-green sheen. It hunts grasshoppers and katydids, paralyzing them and provisioning underground nest cells.
Did You Know?
French naturalist Jean-Henri Fabre's observations of this wasp's rigid behavioral routines led to famous debates about insect intelligence.
Green Lacewing
Delicate green insects with lace-like wings and golden eyes. Larvae are ferocious predators nicknamed "aphid lions." Widely used in biological pest control.
Did You Know?
Lacewing larvae are such effective predators they are nicknamed "aphid lions" — a single larva can devour 200 aphids per week during its development.