Hummingbird Hawk-Moth vs Mud Dauber Wasp
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Hummingbird Hawk-Moth | Mud Dauber Wasp |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Macroglossum stellatarum | Sceliphron caementarium |
| Order | Lepidoptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Sphingidae | Sphecidae |
| Size | 40-50 mm wingspan | 24-28 mm |
| Habitat | Underground | Underground |
| Diet | Nectar Feeders | Nectar Feeders |
| Regions | Europe, Asia, Africa | North America, introduced to Europe and other continents |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Not Evaluated |
Hummingbird Hawk-Moth
A day-flying moth that hovers at flowers and produces an audible hum, almost perfectly mimicking a hummingbird. Has exceptional visual memory for flower locations.
Did You Know?
This moth can remember the locations of hundreds of individual flowers and times its visits to when nectar is replenished — a memory feat unmatched by most insects.
Mud Dauber Wasp
A slender black and yellow solitary wasp that builds tubular mud nests on walls and structures. It stocks each cell with paralyzed spiders as food for its developing larvae.
Did You Know?
A single mud nest cell can contain up to 25 paralyzed spiders stacked inside.