Metaphycus Scale Parasitoid vs Pear Fruit Sawfly
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Metaphycus Scale Parasitoid | Pear Fruit Sawfly |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Metaphycus helvolus | Hoplocampa brevis |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Encyrtidae | Tenthredinidae |
| Size | 1-1.5 mm | 4-6 mm |
| Habitat | Orchards | Orchards |
| Diet | Parasitoids | Fruit Feeders |
| Regions | Worldwide (introduced for biocontrol) | Europe |
| Conservation | Not Evaluated | Least Concern |
Metaphycus Scale Parasitoid
A golden-yellow parasitoid wasp that attacks black scale and other soft scale insects on citrus and olive trees. It is one of the most widely used encyrtids in commercial biological control.
Did You Know?
Adults also feed directly on young scale insects by piercing them with their ovipositor, killing hosts through both parasitism and host-feeding.
Pear Fruit Sawfly
A small, dark sawfly that is a pest of pear orchards. Larvae bore into developing pear fruitlets, causing premature fruit drop.
Did You Know?
Infested young pears often show a distinctive entry hole with wet frass, and a single larva may damage two to three fruits before completing development.