Metaphycus Scale Parasitoid vs South American Velvet Ant
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Metaphycus Scale Parasitoid | South American Velvet Ant |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Metaphycus helvolus | Traumatomutilla indica |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Encyrtidae | Mutillidae |
| Size | 1-1.5 mm | 15-22 mm |
| Habitat | Orchards | Grasslands |
| Diet | Parasitoids | Omnivores |
| Regions | Worldwide (introduced for biocontrol) | South America |
| 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.
South American Velvet Ant
A large tropical velvet ant with striking black and orange patterns. Despite its species name, it is native to South America and not India.
Did You Know?
Its species name 'indica' was assigned in error and does not reflect its true South American distribution.