Horntail Wasp vs Japanese Water Penny

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Horntail Wasp Japanese Water Penny
Scientific Name Urocerus gigas Eubrianax granicollis
Order Hymenoptera Coleoptera
Family Siricidae Psephenidae
Size 25-40 mm 5-7 mm
Habitat Forests Forests
Diet Fungus Feeders Omnivores
Regions Europe, Asia Japan, Taiwan
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Horntail Wasp

A large wood wasp that injects symbiotic fungus into trees along with its eggs.

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Did You Know?

The injected fungus softens the wood to make it digestible for the larvae.

Japanese Water Penny

An East Asian water penny beetle found in swift forest streams of Japan. Adults are dark and robust with a granular pronotum.

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Did You Know?

Its larvae use a suction-cup-like ventral surface to maintain their grip on stones in powerful currents.