Orange Caterpillar Parasite vs Lesser Bullet Ant

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Orange Caterpillar Parasite Lesser Bullet Ant
Scientific Name Netelia ephippitarsus Neoponera villosa
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Ichneumonidae Formicidae
Size 12-16 mm 10-14 mm
Habitat Woodlands Woodlands
Diet Parasitoids Wood Feeders
Regions Australia, Southeast Asia Southern United States, Central America, South America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Orange Caterpillar Parasite

A slender, amber-orange ichneumon wasp found across Australasia. It attaches eggs to caterpillars and the larva feeds externally on its host.

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Did You Know?

Female wasps can deliver a mild sting if handled, which is unusual among ichneumon wasps.

Lesser Bullet Ant

A large black ponerine ant found from Texas through South America with a powerful sting. It nests in tree hollows and dead wood, foraging arboreally at night.

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Did You Know?

It is sometimes called the 'false bullet ant' because its sting, while very painful, is less severe than that of Paraponera.