Horntail Wasp vs Parnopes Cuckoo Wasp
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Horntail Wasp | Parnopes Cuckoo Wasp |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Urocerus gigas | Parnopes grandior |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Siricidae | Chrysididae |
| Size | 25-40 mm | 8-13 mm |
| Habitat | Forests | Beaches & Coastal |
| Diet | Fungus Feeders | Parasites |
| Regions | Europe, Asia | Europe, North Africa, Western Asia |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Near Threatened |
Horntail Wasp
A large wood wasp that injects symbiotic fungus into trees along with its eggs.
Did You Know?
The injected fungus softens the wood to make it digestible for the larvae.
Parnopes Cuckoo Wasp
A large and robust cuckoo wasp with a metallic green thorax and brilliant red abdomen. It exclusively parasitizes beewolf wasps in sandy habitats.
Did You Know?
It is entirely dependent on beewolf wasps for reproduction, so its populations decline wherever beewolves disappear.