Japanese Maple Sawfly vs Large Square-headed Wasp

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Japanese Maple Sawfly Large Square-headed Wasp
Scientific Name Megalodontes cephalotes Ectemnius cephalotes
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Pamphiliidae Crabronidae
Size 12-18 mm 12-18 mm
Habitat Meadows Woodlands
Diet Herbivores Wood Feeders
Regions Southern and Central Europe Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Japanese Maple Sawfly

A colorful web-spinning sawfly with a large head, bright orange body, and distinctive long antennae. It is associated with umbelliferous plants in southern Europe.

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Did You Know?

Despite its common association with umbellifers, this species belongs to a family mostly known for conifer and broadleaf tree feeders.

Large Square-headed Wasp

A large solitary wasp that nests in dead wood and provisions its nest with captured flies. Has a distinctively large, square-shaped head. Common in gardens and woodland.

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Did You Know?

Nests in old beetle holes in dead wood, stocking each cell with paralyzed flies for its developing larvae.