Red-winged Spider Wasp vs Eyed Hawk-moth
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Red-winged Spider Wasp | Eyed Hawk-moth |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Tachypompilus ferrugineus | Smerinthus ocellatus |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Lepidoptera |
| Family | Pompilidae | Sphingidae |
| Size | 18-28 mm | 70-95 mm wingspan |
| Habitat | Deserts & Drylands | Rivers & Streams |
| Diet | Predators | Predators |
| Regions | North America | Europe, temperate Asia |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
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.
Eyed Hawk-moth
A large hawk-moth with cryptic brown forewings that conceal vivid blue and black eyespots on the hindwings. When startled, it flashes its eyespots to frighten predators.
Did You Know?
The flash of its eyespots has been shown experimentally to startle birds into abandoning their attack.