Large Square-headed Wasp vs Pacific Cuckoo Wasp

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Large Square-headed Wasp Pacific Cuckoo Wasp
Scientific Name Ectemnius cephalotes Chrysis pellucidula
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Crabronidae Chrysididae
Size 12-18 mm 6-10 mm
Habitat Woodlands Heathland
Diet Wood Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Europe Western North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

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.

Pacific Cuckoo Wasp

A brightly metallic cuckoo wasp with green-blue head and thorax and a coppery red abdomen. It parasitizes solitary mason bees and wasps in the western US.

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Did You Know?

It times its nest infiltration perfectly, sneaking in while the host wasp is away collecting provisions.