Mountain Ash Sawfly vs Red-winged Spider Wasp
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Mountain Ash Sawfly | Red-winged Spider Wasp |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Pristiphora geniculata | Tachypompilus ferrugineus |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Tenthredinidae | Pompilidae |
| Size | 5-7 mm | 18-28 mm |
| Habitat | Mountains | Deserts & Drylands |
| Diet | Herbivores | Predators |
| Regions | Europe, introduced to North America | North America |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Mountain Ash Sawfly
A small blackish sawfly with pale legs whose green larvae can completely defoliate mountain ash (rowan) trees. Larvae have dark heads and feed gregariously.
Did You Know?
Introduced to North America in the early 1900s, it quickly became the most damaging pest of ornamental mountain ash trees across the continent.
Red-winged Spider Wasp
A large rusty-red spider wasp that hunts wolf spiders and other large ground spiders. It drags paralyzed prey across the ground to its burrow.
Did You Know?
Females can drag spiders many times their own weight across rough terrain to reach their nesting burrows.