Orange Spider Wasp vs Ozark Stiletto Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Orange Spider Wasp Ozark Stiletto Fly
Scientific Name Cryptocheilus australis Thereva frontalis
Order Hymenoptera Diptera
Family Pompilidae Therevidae
Size 20-30 mm 8-11 mm
Habitat Indoors Woodlands
Diet Predators Predators
Regions Australia, Oceania North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Orange Spider Wasp

A striking orange and black spider wasp that hunts large ground-dwelling spiders across Australia. Its vivid colouration serves as a warning to predators of its powerful sting.

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Did You Know?

Female spider wasps engage in elaborate prey-handling behaviours, sometimes caching spiders temporarily while they dig the final burrow.

Ozark Stiletto Fly

A medium-sized stiletto fly with a grayish body covered in fine pale hairs and clear wings. It is commonly found resting on sunlit surfaces in open woodlands.

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Did You Know?

The larvae have a unique ability to move rapidly through loose sand using undulating body movements.