Ichneumon Wasp vs Fig Longhorn
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Ichneumon Wasp | Fig Longhorn |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Megarhyssa macrurus | Pelargoderus bipunctatus |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Coleoptera |
| Family | Ichneumonidae | Cerambycidae |
| Size | 25-50 mm body plus 100+ mm ovipositor | 25-40 mm |
| Habitat | Woodlands | Woodlands |
| Diet | Parasitoids | Wood Feeders |
| Regions | North America | East Africa, Southern Africa |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Ichneumon Wasp
A large parasitoid wasp with an extremely long, thread-like ovipositor that can exceed the length of its body. Females drill through solid wood to reach their host larvae deep inside.
Did You Know?
The female can somehow detect horntail larvae vibrations through several centimeters of solid wood and then drill her flexible ovipositor to reach them with remarkable accuracy.
Fig Longhorn
A large African cerambycid with a yellowish-brown body and two conspicuous dark spots on the pronotum. It breeds in fig trees and other Moraceae in savanna woodlands. Adults are nocturnal and powerful fliers.
Did You Know?
Large emergence holes in fig tree trunks made by this beetle are later used as nesting cavities by small birds.