Lunate Ichneumon vs Pleasing Lacewing

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Lunate Ichneumon Pleasing Lacewing
Scientific Name Megarhyssa greenei Nallachius americanus
Order Hymenoptera Neuroptera
Family Ichneumonidae Dilaridae
Size 25-40 mm body, ovipositor up to 80 mm 8-12 mm
Habitat Woodlands Woodlands
Diet Parasitoids Wood Feeders
Regions North America North America
Conservation Least Concern Data Deficient

Lunate Ichneumon

A reddish-brown parasitoid wasp native to North America. It targets horntail larvae in hardwood trees and uses its long ovipositor to reach them.

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Did You Know?

It is the smallest of the three North American Megarhyssa species but still impressively large.

Pleasing Lacewing

A small and uncommon lacewing with feathery antennae in males. Larvae develop under bark feeding on wood-boring insect larvae.

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Did You Know?

Male pleasing lacewings have elaborate feathered antennae used to detect female pheromones over long distances.