Mud Dauber Wasp vs Verrucarum Sandfly
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Mud Dauber Wasp | Verrucarum Sandfly |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Sceliphron caementarium | Lutzomyia verrucarum |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Diptera |
| Family | Sphecidae | Psychodidae |
| Size | 24-28 mm | 2-3 mm |
| Habitat | Underground | Underground |
| Diet | Nectar Feeders | Carrion Feeders |
| Regions | North America, introduced to Europe and other continents | Peru, Andean valleys of South America |
| Conservation | Not Evaluated | Least Concern |
Mud Dauber Wasp
A slender black and yellow solitary wasp that builds tubular mud nests on walls and structures. It stocks each cell with paralyzed spiders as food for its developing larvae.
Did You Know?
A single mud nest cell can contain up to 25 paralyzed spiders stacked inside.
Verrucarum Sandfly
A small sandfly found in the inter-Andean valleys of Peru, serving as the vector of Bartonella bacilliformis, which causes Carrion's disease (Oroya fever and verruga peruana). It is active at dusk and night at altitudes between 800 and 3,000 meters.
Did You Know?
Carrion's disease killed thousands of workers during construction of the Lima-La Oroya railway in the 1870s.